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

Did the GP not comment on his skin tone?

what does your partner think if his skin colour? I’m only asking because I know that when you are spiralling everything can seem a lot worse than it really is.

Definitely GP in the morning A&E if he really is yellow.

you must be so worried I am so sorry, book a gp appointment and dont stop til they do all the tests and things they need to rule everything out, if they fob you off take him to A and E. Trust your instinct but also it is very unlikely to be worst case scenario.

I remember my DD at about 5 or 6 years old having an illness for a couple of weeks that sounds almost identical to your DS’s OP… had her at the GP (where she was acting like there was nothing wrong typically) who eventually agreed to have her admitted to hospital as I was so concerned. Kept her in a few days to observe but nothing ever came up. After being discharged she just gradually got better. Never did find out what it was, but it did pass after about a fortnight.

I have known of two children in recent years however who sadly have had leukaemia, but there was no up and down with their symptoms, it was just a steady decline until they started on their treatments.

I think you should still go back to your GP however OP to address your concerns and hopefully something can be done to get your little one feeling better ASAP

I thought my then 14 year old DS had leukaemia with very similar symptoms as yours. It wasn't, it was type 1 diabetes, he was in dka.

A and E right away, even if to reassure you all. He’s had a temp since Friday…. Take him in!!!

Up and down symptoms can definitely be a thing when a child has cancer, especially seemingly unexplained fevers that come and go but of course it isn't always cancer either.

I believe there's new guidance either on it's way or might already be in place for GP's to consider childhood cancer when a parent has repeatedly brought their child in within a 2 week period because unfortunately, it is often missed until a child starts to significantly decline and it becomes more obvious something is terribly wrong.

I don't think it's common in children but my mum went yellow and it turned out to be gallstones. She went to the gp as had awful stomach pains and they took one look at the yellow and she was off to hospital.

I was just explaining that was the case for the only two children I know personally who have had leukaemia.
Let’s hope that what you have described isn’t the case with this OP

Please please go to a&e NOW as it sounds like type 1 diabetes. Don't wait til morning. DKA can be very very serious .

I agree. Trust your instincts. My son was very ill years ago when he was just 6 and was sent home from school: he had a severe headache, was grey and floppy. Rushed him to the GP. He was then sent to A&E by the GP, hung about all day on a bed but then discharged late in the evening, despite the fact he couldn't walk properly and couldn't do any of the balance/finger to nose exercises. I was told "only come back when he has a temperature." We were back at 0400 the next morning when he could no longer speak OR walk - still no high temperature, mind. He lay on a bloody bed for hours with no-one taking it seriously and me going out of my mind with worry. Eventually, I got someone very, VERY senior on the phone (thanks to my mate being the then health secretary's SPAD) things started moving extremely quickly and a paediatrician was sent over from another hospital... after she examined him he ended up being rushed in an ambulance to Great Ormond Street Hospital where he was diagnosed with a stroke.
I KNEW he wasn't right, I knew it was bad. I'm glad I was an extremely irritating, but necessary squeaky wheel.
I did google his symptoms when in A&E and stroke kept coming up but I thought that was impossible in someone so young. In hindsight it was so obvious.
Yes, it's usually horses, but the occasional Zebra does appear. (to quote another PP).

If concerned go to A&E. I know it’s painful to say but make it clear you suspect cancer and get them to run all tests.

It was the first sign that my son had cancer in our case. Of course, I had no idea at the time.

I hope it isn't the case either but it's definitely a possible sign which is a reason why OP is worried sick. I had no idea it was a sign at the time and I really wish I had.

Didn't want to read and run because we had this last summer with my 5 year old. He'd wake up feeling totally fine and by lunchtime school would have called because he had a temperature and was feeling sick. I'd pick him up and he'd seem really unwell, lethargic with a fever, and sometimes vomiting, complaining of a bad headache. This went on for 2 weeks! Kept trying the GP who was useless and in the end 111 clinician sent us to a+e to rule out viral meningitis. They did a blood test and it came back basically normal so we were sent home.

In the end he got better on his own but it was a worrying time and I was spiralling too. Take him to a+e if the GP is unhelpful. They weren't happy that we were there, despite being sent in by 111, but it did get serious things ruled out. I'm sure your son is fine too.

Is he currently yellow? If so I would phone 111 and take it from there.

I would take him to ED .. my first thought is Type 1 diabetes… don’t wait.

Agreeing with everyone, don’t settle for anything less than a full blood count. He’s your baby, don’t let them tell you it’s a virus and send you away. I’ve had similar feelings with my son before, he was showing symptoms of something horrible and I literally went in and said ‘I think he has this, I need a blood test to put my mind at rest’ and they did it. They also followed up with another one a couple of weeks later to compare the results. Sending a huge hug, hopefully it genuinely is just a big dose of all the germs around x x

I’m an ex A&E nurse and I’d be taking them to hospital now. Crying in pain as you carry them upstairs- not normal. Yellow skin- not normal. It may well be a weird virus but please get them checked.

Agreeing with everyone, don’t settle for anything less than a full blood count.

You can't just rock up to A and E and demand specific tests!

Yes, this. I should have been clearer, dka is a medical emergency.

I'd go through 111 if you're not going via A&E. Your little one needs seeing for blood sugar test plus urine test +/- ketones at the very least tonight. If the out of hours doctor suspects jaundice, they will likely arrange admission for bloods/further testing. Having seen DKA present quite similarly recently, i'd be very cautious here. Without prompt treatment, it can be fatal.

Never ever worry about bothering A&E or the out of hours doctors. If a child is unwell or you're worried as a parent, even if you can't put your finger on why, get help. Parental instinct is a powerful thing and you don't need to justify following it.

Go to a&e girl

I think its better to go at 6am when its quieter but given how ill he is now, just go straight there so they can see it

Keep us updated as mumsnet is a big support during times like this.

Best of luck and wishing him better and that its nothing serious ❤️❤️

If he's a funny yellow colour, then he's jaundiced, and that can have some serious causes. Definitely get him seen again asap!

I hope you are going to A&E now @Lockdownbaby2021.
Sending you and your precious boy hugs xx

My daughter had a nasty thing like this in October of her first year of school. Temp and exhausted but no obvious cause. After 6 days (I think) doctor gave antibiotics and she started to get better after 24 hours but still have no idea what it was!!

I should say that I am a GP .. wake him nd take him to ED .. it could be type 1 diabetes. Sending lots loving thoughts from southern hemisphere.