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Anxious about toddlers health - advice please

1 reply

FTMaz · 07/12/2025 19:04

Hi everyone
I am going to just put this into some context, my cousin who I was close to died from a brain tumour when we were teenagers. My step sister also died young from a degenerative disease so I feel that I am very anxious about cancer and health in general.

as some of you will know October was childhood cancer awareness month and because I look at illness etc on social media the algorithm really fed me with lots of posts about cancer in children. I became very anxious about my son who is nearly 2 and took him to the GP. This was based on a couple of posts I’d seen that mentioned being pale and having dark circles as a symptom. The GP was very understanding about my anxiety and said that she didn’t feel there was anything sinister to worry about. She didn’t offer a blood test to put my mind at ease. However I declined this as I felt it was selfish of me to put my son through the trauma of blood test for me to feel at ease.

However I keep noticing the dark circles and I feel they are getting worse. However is this something they children with very pale skin can just have and am I being overly anxious? I’d really love peoples opinions on this as I also see lots of posts about ‘trusting your instincts’ as a mother but I also know my judgment is clouded from my own experiences.

thank you

OP posts:
Sillysoggyspaniel · 07/12/2025 19:23

I think you are right to trust your instincts - which briefly translated are that you are worried that your son looks pale but know that your worry is tainted by horrific past experiences. So basically unless there are other symptoms too to stand down. Excessive night sweats and huge tiredness would be my big red flags.

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