4 yo Leukaemia symptoms, i'm spiralling

[Lockdownbaby2021]

My 4 year old has been unwell since last Friday. He went downhill on saturday, very pale, temperature, headache, stomach ache, tired. Perked up sunday but Monday woke up with another temp and stayed on sofa. Took him to the doctors and she said she couldn't find anything (other than temp of 39.7) and it was a mystery as he's showing no signs of a virus e.g sore ears, throat, snotty etc and told me just to observe him.

Yesterday he went to school as he seemed fine in the morning. but he got home and took himself off to bed fully clothed at 5:30pm (never ever done this!)

Today again he seemed okay this morning but he's come home from school and complained of tummy ache and suddenly got a temp and fallen asleep. He's also been a funny yellow colour recently.

I've been googling tonight and the horrible C word has come up. Now i'm spiralling. The last couple of months he's been starving but eating loads but has got quite skinny, he's also been complaining of leg pain which passed eventually so I put it down to growing.

My partner thinks i'm being crazy for thinking it. But now it's all I can think about. I feel like it's all adding up. I wanted to take him to the hospital tonight as he was screaming with his stomach and was saying he just wanted to go to bed (no sickness or diorrhea). But my partner saying let him sleep. I am in tears. Can someone reassure me, I'm not going to sleep tonight

It’s not unusual for symptoms of viruses to be worse at night, the immune system is more active and he’s used all his energy up at school. As someone up thread said the tummy pain could well be pain from swollen lymph nodes as his body is fighting a bug.

The jaundice could be Gilbert’s syndrome or something more serious.

If you don’t want to take him tonight all you can do is monitor him, look for signs of sepsis and take him if he worsens.

in the morning I’d be booking a gp appointment and I’d keep him off for the rest of the week. Keep him hydrated and comfortable and hopefully he’ll get rid of the bug and be back to normal soon enough.

Unexplained temps do happen even a couple of nights in a row so I wouldn’t be overly concerned. I think if he’s sleeping and his temp is not excessive I would look to get him seen in the morning. However if he wakes up with pain in the night I would definitely be taking him to A&E.

Op that is far too long for a child to have a temp, take him to hospital. The gp should have referred him to paeds because there are a number of things he could be battling. It could be a nasty virus or a serious infection either way he needs checking. The yellow skin colour and tummy ache is not a good sign.

Id take him now and honestly put a complaint in at the GP. If he’s had a temp for more than 5 days and gp can’t find obvious source of infection he should have referred to you to paeds at your hospital to bypass a and e.

Rememebr you are his mum and you know him best. Be his advocate and be firm they need to run tests. They can do a finger prick and run bloods to clear him from the serious stuff at least. With children it always best to air on the side of caution because they deteriorate much much quicker than adults do.

Ignore your husband and go with your instincts and I hope it’s nothing in the end but you need to do your job.

One last tip, if they try and and fob you off tell the DR ‘I have raised the following concerns regarding my child, list the reasons you think he’s serious and isn’t just a virus and despite raising my concerns the hospital is discharging us without further investigation I’d like this to be noted down on his record’ they hate that.

Oh OP, I can literally feel your worry bouncing off your writing. My DD is 9 and has had two viruses in particular that have stood out. Both lasted three weeks and drained the life out of her. I took her to the GP both times but her obs were all stable. The last time it happened, she’d manage school but absolutely exhausted, tearful and ask to go to bed at 6 (extremely unusual). I would take him tomorrow for sure given the yellowing but it absolutely could be a post viral period of fatigue.

Also if the doctor saw him on Monday presumably they would have seen any signs of concerning yellowing or jaundice, so I’m not sure I would be focusing on that over much, though of course if you go to the doctors again there’s no harm in mentioning it.

There are lots of illnesses that can cause inflammation of the liver (and therefore yellowness), including viruses.

I would probably contact 111 tonight.

Pack a bag with a flask, some snacks, a pillow etc and get down to A&E tonight. You need answers.

Trust your instincts. My DS was ill a few years ago where he was OK during the day but spiked very high temps at night. Saw three different GPs over two or three weeks who all fobbed us off with various antibiotics. Eventually spoke to a wonderful 111 call handler late one night who properly listened, and said wake him up right now and take him directly to A&E. It turned out he had severe bacterial pneumonia and had to be hospitalised for days. He was fine in the end, but it was scary. I just knew something wasn't right, but needed a kick to trust my own instincts.

If you are sure about yellowing I’d be direct to A&E

If he is asleep now, I wouldn't wake him. But even if you do wake him that's an absolutely reasonable decision. In the morning ask for an urgent appointment with the GP, ask for bloods and if you are not reassured ask them to refer you directly to the paediatric team at the nearest hospital. In our area that would mean you would avoid going through A and E. If the GP isn't reassuring and won't directly refer you to go to paeds go to the hospital yourself. If he gets up in the night or the morning and is in pain then I'd bypass the GP and go to A and E.
Do you think his legs are getting thinner and his stomach is getting bigger?

I dont think you can jump to leukemia but he def sounds ill

did the doctor not pick up on the yellowing? I’d be very surprised if not, does partner agree on that point?

if he’s settled I’d let him sleep but check every couple of hours overnight and go and get him seen tomorrow am

My daughter had suspected leukemia as a child. We took her to A& E at the insistence of our pharmacist, who is had consulted regarding a rash on her arm. They ran all the tests - they were convinced she had it and ran more tests when none of it came out positive. The even kept her in overnight on a ward. It wasn't leukemia- but there was no question that we shouldn't have been there.

There is a saying in the medical world, ‘When you hear hooves look for horses not zebras.’ It means that when there is something wrong it is far, far more likely to be something common (the horse) than something rare (the zebra). It is far far more likely that your son has a viral infection than leukemia, the clocks have changed and the weather is crap and presumably if he’s 4 he only started school in September so it is more likely he has a virus and as a result of that is tired and run down than any other outcome. I’m not saying don’t seek medical advice if you’re worried that something is wrong, but don’t panic and go to the worst case scenario - it is far, far more likely to be something minor than something serious.

Sending you a hug. If he wakes again tonight I would go to A&E and if not I’d be there at the GP when they open in the morning x

A&E tonight. And God bless and let us know how it went.

Call 111 they will tell you what to do.

Don’t wake him. Make a bed for yourself in his room if you can’t sleep in your own.

Ring 111 and tell them everything. They will listen and advise. Put your mind at rest.

A+E
Just to put your mind at rest .

I remember worrying about DC1 as you are. The GP told me mums know their children best. It’s true.
Act on your instincts - which I did - and don’t worry about the response at A & E. To be seen quickly focus on key points, not even in sentences: lethargy, temperature, jaundiced, stomach pains.
He’s not right, you’re spiralling - go to hospital this evening. You know your son like no one else.
I hope it’s all resolved soon and that he makes a speedy recovery.

Sleep in with him tonight then emergency appointment in the morning. Or if you really can’t settle, which I get, A&E tonight.

I had these symptoms as a child. It was autoimmune anaemia. Get your son to the doctors and insist on blood tests

Take him to a&e. Best to have him checked over even if it’s not currently an emergency. Put your mind at rest but importantly do it for your sons sake xx

I would phone 111 for advice, a doctor will probably call you to talk through symptoms. All those saying let him sleep, sometimes that is not the right thing to do with a sick child. A child who is lethargic or has sepsis may seem to be able to sleep

When my child had sepsis, he was restless and agitated and couldn't settle to sleep at all.

I'm assuming OP will be up and down checking on him or even sleeping in his room so she can check on him. I definitely wouldn't just leave him to sleep all night.