Any input would be greatly appreciated. My daughter has been in and out of the doctors office and emergency room this week. She has had fevers daily for 6 days that sometimes reach 104. She has no cough, stuffy nose, or sore throat. Her lymph node is enlarged, one significantly more than the other. She has had a stiff neck, lethargic, and won't eat much of anything if at all. Her Ped had her rushed to ER for a spinal tap because she was presenting signs of Meningitis. The trick is, that when she is given Motrin, her fever disappears and she returns to normal for a short period of time. When the ER doc saw this change in her he stopped the order for the spinal tap and just did a blood test and told me to follow up with the Ped in the morning. I did and she was put on antibiotics for an infection but they could not tell where the infection is coming from. She has a WBC of 19,000. That is all they told me. The Ped told me to watch her and if her temperature continued to spike to return her to the ER. I am pleased to say that after a couple of days on the antibiotics she seems to be through with the fever. Her neck seems to still be bothering her and she is getting night sweats and sleeping more. She has had a couple of bloody noses in the past month that I chalked up to dry wheather. Last weeks she threw up once without any other symptoms of being ill, I thought she just had to much Easter Candy or something. Even though her fever seems to be gone she is still on an emotional roller coaster, shreeking for no reason, clinging to me, and sometimes hitting me away if she thinks I will accidentally touch her neck. I am going back to the Ped in 2 weeks for a follow up. How can I rule out her going down the path of Leukemia and at what point should I be satisfied with the doctors telling me she is just fighting an infection? She has seen about 7 doctors so far and none have given me any answers. One even sent her home with "just a cold, mom." I just don't want to take their word for it and regret it. I would also like to know how to get peice of mind and rule out Leukemia. Thank you for your insight.
it is frustrating when you know your child isnt right, but no one can figure out what is wrong. Certainly a cold or infection is most likely. Childhood leukemia is pretty rare. In leukemia the CBC should be abnormal. You could ask if a blood smear was done as this can lead to suspicion of leukemia. However sometimes the smear or CBC isnt much help and a bone marrow biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis. Keep after your docs and dont give up. You know when your child is not normal.
Signs of leukimia are black and blues that dont go away red bloches sleepy nose bleeds are your platelets eing low. Ask the doctor to check them as well. there is a great hospitsl in new jersey.Not to sure were your from but Robert wood Johnsons childrens hospital is great. My 15 yr old son was diagnosed with aml leukimia back in june. He had no symptoms. I just took my children for a routine check up and they found it. Thank God I did. We caught it early and he is in remission. So it i important to carry follow up and fing the right doctor. Good luck.