Types of leukemia in children include:

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): This happens when too many lymphoblasts (a certain type of white blood cell) are produced.
  This is the most common type of leukemia, affecting nearly 60% of kids with leukemia.
• Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML): This occurs when too many immature white blood cells (called myeloid blasts) are made.
  These leukemia cells are abnormal and can’t mature into normal white blood cells.
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML): This rare form of pediatric leukemia happens because there are too many mature white blood cells.

Although the symptoms of leukemia in each individual child can vary, common symptoms of leukemia in children include:

• anemia  (when the level of healthy red blood cells in the body becomes
  too low)
• bleeding and/or bruising
• frequent or reoccurring infections
• bone and joint pain
• abdominal pain
• swollen lymph nodes (also called “swollen glands”)
• difficulty breathing
• excessive fatigue (more tired than usual)
• poor appetite

IMPORTANT NOTE: Instances of the symptoms of leukemia in children listed above, either together or on their own, do not automatically mean that a child has leukemia or any other kind of cancer. Any or all of these symptoms could be a sign of something else.

One of our Nemours pediatric hematologists-oncologists (doctors who treat blood disorders and cancers) will conduct a physical examination on your child to check for symptoms of leukemia in children such as signs of infection, anemia, abnormal bleeding, and swollen lymph nodes.

The doctor will also feel your child's abdomen to see if the liver or spleen is enlarged. We’ll also take a complete medical history by asking about your child’s symptoms, past health, your family's health history, any medications your child is taking, allergies, etc.

After this exam, the doctor will order a CBC (complete blood count) to measure the numbers of white cells, red cells, and platelets in your child's blood. Your child’s blood chemistries will also be checked.

Then, depending on what we find in the exam and blood tests, your child also may need a:

• bone marrow biopsy and aspiration (when marrow samples are taken for testing, usually from the back of the hip)
• lymph node biopsy (when lymph nodes are removed and examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells)
• lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap, when a sample of spinal fluid is taken from the lower back and examined for evidence of abnormal cells. This test will show if the leukemia has spread to the brain and spinal cord.)

We know that tests can be scary – for you and your child. Whatever kind of tests your child might need, know that your Nemours pediatric leukemia care team will do everything we can to make the experience as comfortable as possible – physically and emotionally. We’ll give sedation or anesthesia as needed and offer support and guidance at every step.

Learn more about what to expect with certain medical tests »

Depending on your child’s age, overall health, extent of the disease, and other factors, treatment may include one or a combination of the following:

• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy   
• blood or bone marrow transplant (also sometimes called a BMT, BBMT, stem cell transplant, or cord blood transplant)
• medications/antibiotics
• blood transfusions

At Nemours, we know that getting a cancer diagnosis can be very frightening and overwhelming for your whole family. That’s why Nemours’ board-certified pediatric hematologists-oncologists, specialty nurses, cancer researchers, and other cancer experts are focused on helping not only your child, but your family, as well.

From diagnosis to treatment (and beyond) we’ll be here to help guide your family through your pediatric leukemia journey – and to strive and hope, with you, for a better tomorrow.