Essay On Childhood Leukemia

Childhood Leukemia I chose to research childhood Leukemia because it is the most common cancer in children and teens, and accounts for almost 1 out of 3 cancers. Just the fact that it could take a life, a child’s life, so easily made me want to learn more about this deadly cancer. There are many symptoms of Leukemia, including fatigue, pale skin, infections, fever, bone or joint pain, swelling of the stomach, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, coughing, trouble breathing, swelling of the face and arms, headaches, seizures, vomiting, easy bleeding or bruising, and rashes. Blood tests, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, and lumbar puncture tests are all used to diagnose Leukemia. For the blood tests, a small sample of blood is spread on a glass slide
Just as the young boy was learning to sit and walk on his own, he started to crawl again. He would crawl with his foot in the air, claiming it hurt. After a while, Alijah started to run a high fever at night, and that’s when his mother took him to the family’s pediatrician. After a few tests and x-rays coming back negative, the pediatrician sent them to a rheumatologist. They suspected he had rheumatoid arthritis, but once again nothing. The rheumatologist referred Alijah to a hematologist at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. After performing a bone marrow biopsy and finding leukemia cells, the doctors diagnosed Alijah with acute lymphocytic leukemia the next day. Alijah started treatment immediately, going through a “port” being inserted in his chest where he would receive his chemotherapy drugs. A physical therapist helped his parents find ways to get Alijah walking again, and the family began the long journey to the boy’s recovery. Today, this little boy is now advanced and healthy. In conclusion, these kinds of stories and facts make you realize that although cancer can be deadly, it can also be