Question

My little one has just started first grade and is always unwilling to exercise and doesn’t want to eat. They are getting thinner and thinner. Could my child have leukemia? What are the symptoms?

Answer

Leukemia has many symptoms, with early signs often being very atypical and easily overlooked. These can include sudden laziness, fatigue, lack of motivation, and decreased appetite. Later on, symptoms may progress to include progressive pallor of the complexion, pain in bones and joints, irregular fever, bleeding in the skin and gums; ultimately leading to enlargement of the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, systemic failure, and weight loss. If any of these suspicious symptoms are noticed, parents should take their child to the hospital for a routine blood test.