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I have recently had reason to look into conditions in children that may present symptoms such as joint pain that would generally be unusual in children. Often as Podiatrists we see kids with joint pain, bruising and muscle pain/weakness.

Sometimes we need to look futher to correctly diagnose these kids. Most often the symptoms turn out to be related to an injury they forgot about or a mechanical problem easily addressed with the many treatment options available to us.

I thought further about this though, and considered the fact that there may be an outside chance that a child has a more serious condition. I dug up some old info' I had on Leukemia, then I googled it and did some more reading. Have a read below and just take on board the symptoms outlined. I'm not saying that you need to think about this everytime you do a paeds' assessment. I think it's important information to have in the back of your head though.

The info below is from the following link:
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/medical_services/cancer/leukemia/conditions/leukemia/signs.html


Here are some general leukemia symptoms:


Anemia: Children with leukemia often have fewer than normal healthy red blood cells and platelets. They lack enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body, which causes a condition called anemia. Children with anemia may look pale, feel weak and tired and bleed and bruise easily.

Recurrent Infections: Although children with leukemia may have a high number of white blood cells, these white blood cells are immature and don't fight infection. Children may experience repetitive viral or bacterial infections. They often have symptoms of infection such as fever, runny nose and cough.

Bone and Joint Pain: Pain in bones and joints is another common symptom of leukemia. This pain is usually a result of the bone marrow being overcrowded and "full."

Abdominal Distress: Abdominal pain also may be a symptom. Leukemia cells can collect in the kidney, liver and spleen, causing enlargement of these organs. Pain in the abdomen may cause a loss of appetite and weight.
Swollen Lymph Nodes: Lymph nodes under the arms, in the groin, chest and neck may become swollen when leukemia cells collect in the nodes. Lymph nodes filter the blood.

Difficulty Breathing or Dyspnea: With T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia, leukemia cells tend to clump together around the thymus gland. This mass of cells present in the middle of the chest can cause pain and difficulty breathing. Wheezing, coughing or painful breathing requires immediate medical attention.

Regards
Trent