Under the general name leukemia in medicine refers to malignant tumors that are formed from hematopoietic cells. Unfortunately, today in our country this kind of diagnosis is very common. A child may develop leukemia for many reasons. It is about them, as well as about the main methods of treating this ailment, that we will discuss in this article.
Causes
According to experts, at the moment, the exact factors leading to the development of the disease have not been established. However, it is believed that in a child leukemia can occur due to violations in the structure and composition of the chromosome apparatus of the so-called bone marrow cell. Such changes are determined both by a hereditary factor and acquired under the influence of various kinds of mutations (for example, ionizing radiation, the effect of certain chemicals, oncoviruses). Of great importance directly in the development of the disease are changes at the level of the immune system.
Signs of leukemia in children
First of all, signs of intoxication appear (malaise, fatigue, loss of appetite, a slight increase in body temperature). The skin and even the mucous membranes acquire a pale shade. In a child, leukemia at the height of high is accompanied by pain in the tubular bones and spine. Small hemorrhages may appear in the mucous membranes, skin, and brain. There is often an increase in absolutely all lymph nodes, as well as some organs (for example, spleen, liver). When the child is involved in the CNS pathological process itself, leukemia manifests itself in the form of headache, cramps, nausea and paralysis. During the period of remission, as a rule, clinical manifestations are completely stabilized, however laboratory tests retain deviations from the norm.
Acute leukemia in children. Symptoms
Symptoms of the disease include:
- increase in body temperature;
- general weakness and malaise;
- swollen lymph nodes;
- discomfort and bone pain;
- bruising tendency;
- frequent infections;
- the appearance of reddish spots on the skin;
Treatment
With this diagnosis, as a rule, hospitalization in a special hematological hospital is required. The methods of treatment should be determined by the specialist himself, depending on the stage of the ailment of the patient's condition and some other parameters. The main objective of therapy is the complete destruction of leukemia cells. Note that today there are several options for this disease, each of which has its own specific treatment method. For example, chemotherapy and infusion therapy are prescribed to get rid of neuroleukemia . With severe anemia or leukopenia, a blood transfusion is used.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that this ailment is not a death sentence at all. There are hundreds of cases where children have managed to cope with this problem. Remember, the sooner a diagnosis is established, the greater the chance of a complete recovery in the future.