Possible leaukaemia - anyone can share experiences?

[hazlinh]

DD, 5, who has been sick for about a month (I think I've posted a few threads over the past few weeks) was admitted to hospital today for low blood count. Her red blood cells and platelets were "abnormally low" and she needed to have a platelet transfusion.

Paed says it is likely to be leaukaemia, and did repeat blood tests to make sure the blood counts were not wrong.

He also did a blood film test which he says will confirm whether it is leaukaemia or not. The only problem is that the haemotologist is on leave, understandably, so paed is trying to contact him now.

And a blood marrow test on Monday would be 101 per cent confirmation. Am in shock, and it's all a bit surreal, and I don't know what to think, or expect or anything.

If it is really leukaemia, and paed says he hopes it is not, but he said to brace for the fact that it could be, he was optimistic, and said that nowadays there is a 90 per cent survival rate. But that treatments will last 1 to 1 and a half years and our lives will be changed. He didn't really elaborate but he said DD would need her blood taken 2-3 times a week and they normally just leave a line on her so they don't poke her all the time. She would also probably skip a lot of school over the next year or two. One of us would also probably need to give up our jobs. Me and DH are seriously in shock and if there's anyone out there who's had experiences with leukaemia, I'd be extremely grateful if you could share them with me.

Hi everyone my daughter has been having night sweats every night, temperature normal when she has these sweats. Even when she naps she’s drenched in sweat. She looks very tired and always ill. Constant chest infections and can’t fight anything we have been refered to N oncologist but I’m so scared :(

Not nervous, need some advice or reassurance I guess. DS is 3.5 I took him to see a GP for the following symptoms.

• Fatigue even after rest
• Bruising on arms and legs
• 3 nose bleeds this year

GP Visit for Blood Draw, results returned in a day and advised to book a routine appointment to discuss the results. I have been given an appointment for 26th September. The below blood results were the concerning ones which were outside of normal range.

• Serum vitamin B12 1760 ng/l
• Serum iron level 10.6 umol/L
• ! Transferrin saturation index 13
• Total white cell count 4.6 10*9/L
• ! Neutrophil count 1.4810*9/L
• Eosinophil count 10*9/L

Regarding leukaemia, the key test is evidence of abnormal cells or very high/low levels of leucocytes specifically. If there are any really concerning findings flagged by the lab they would contact the requester and/or local paediatric team asking for urgent action, so a long day wait thought frustrating is a good sign
Those look like non-specific findings with a bit of a picture of low iron stores (common in toddlers). Your GP may be happy interpreting together with an updated history when they see you, or they might refer to a local paediatric team for advice and/or to be seen.

@Unseenentity Thank you kindly for your response. It is reassuring. However, it’s the high B12 that us most concerning. Because ds takes a multivitamin, so you think these could cause increased levels?

There is a B12 in a standard multivitamin. It seems to be quite a common incidental finding in children, I have asked our children's haematologists if he has ever seen high B12 associated with illness and he said never in his entire career. I'm aware if you look it up it is flagged as a concern but this seems to be in adults.

B12 supplementation is notorious for screwing up blood tests looking at B12 levels.