Childhood cancer is one such frightening diagnosis that affects not only the child suffering from the ailment but their entire family. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, observed in September every year, stresses the need for information and screening. One of the most common leukaemia disorders among children is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, aka acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL).

What is Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia (ALL)?

Acute lymphocytic leukaemia is defined as a cancer of the blood and bone marrow with a rapid increase in leukemic cells called lymphocytes in their immature state. Unlike the healthy ones manufactured in the bone marrow, these immature cells cannot help fight infections, leading to deterioration in performance. ALL is the leukaemia affecting most children above and under five. Boys are more at risk of suffering this type of cancer than girls, according to the American Cancer Society.

Symptoms of ALL in Children

There are multiple possibilities for children to develop ALL. The most common may include flu, and may not comprehend it to be a severe ailment. However, parents should be careful when these signs are seen to persist for a while or combine to show:

• Unexplained high fevers are characterized by frequent, daily fevers of a particular level for a given duration and with no cause.
• Unexplained bruising or bleeding – Newly developed bruises or significant blood loss with no trauma.
• Night sweats and bone pains—Night sweats and bone pains are almost normally suggestive of an infection in the body that is attempting to be combated.
• Loss of weight—In children, this could be particularly focused on rapid regain of weight, which does not seem to correlate with the child’s activity levels.
• Painful swollen lymph nodes are masses sometimes seen around the neck and below the armpits.

If these symptoms occur together and do not subside, it is advisable to see a physician for examination without delay. A series of blood tests, bone marrow studies, and imaging are included in the processes aimed at confirming a diagnosis of ALL.

Takeaway

For any parent, the diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) means one certainty, and that is fear. However, most children suffering from ALL go back to leading every day and healthy lives after treatment. Though it cannot be denied the road towards achieving this may be extended, parents should know that ALL remains one of the most treatable forms of cancer in children.

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