Toddlers get sick. Sometimes, the sickness does not go away. If you think your toddler has leukemia, it is imperative to see your pediatrician. Leukemia is a form of cancer that affects blood tissue, including bone marrow. It usually starts in the white blood cells. Your doctor can examine your toddler and order further testing if needed. Doctors usually begin testing for leukemia with a blood test. To get a clear diagnosis, your doctor may need to perform a bone marrow biopsy.
Fever and Infection
A toddler with leukemia will have increased episodes of fever and infection. Healthy toddlers can run fever from time to time, but with leukemia, the fever is almost constant. The increased fever and infection with leukemia is caused by defective white blood cells. The role of white blood cells is to fight off infection, which cannot be done if your toddler has leukemia.
Anemia
Anemia is another symptom of leukemia in toddlers. Anemia is a condition in which the blood has a lower than normal amount of red blood cells. The leukemia interferes with bone marrow's production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Look for your toddler to become abnormally short of breath after playing. He will also become overly tired very easily. If your toddler seems to run out of steam with very little activity, it could be anemia.
