Healthy Thoughts

April 2009

Listen to your Instincts… they are your guidance throughout life

By Laurie Schwartz

It took a simple blood test to confirm what my instincts told me… my 10 year old son did not have the flu. In my wildest imagination I could not have guessed what came next.

They were 95% sure he had Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, AML, an aggressive form of childhood leukemia. I felt the two by four across the side of my cheek as they spoke. We were brought from the emergency room to the 10th floor of St. Vincent Hospital, Green Bay, WI and a blood disorder doctor, Dr. John Hill, was coming to talk to us. My mind went blank, my brain could not process what I was being told. A bone marrow aspirate confirmed the worst news I ever heard in my life. My son had AML and we began our 16 month journey to when he would again finally be considered in the “normal” range for his blood levels. Our lives will never be “normal” again.

Each year in the US approximately 3,000 children are affected by childhood leukemia. It is the most common form of cancer in childhood.

The disease can occur at any age but most commonly seen in children between birth and 6 years of age. It occurs slightly more frequently in males and is more common in Caucasian children.

The major causes of childhood leukemia are acquired genetic diseases. Factors such as exposure to certain viruses, environmental chemical exposures and various infections have been associated with damage to the immune system. The immune systems is key in protecting the body from disease and possibly cancer.

Other than specific genetic syndromes, little is known about the cause of childhood leukemia.

There are three main types of leukemia: ALL AML and CML:

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) This type accounts for 75-80 percent of childhood leukemia cases.
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) accounts for 20 percent leukemia cases. Children with certain genetic syndromes, including Fanconi anemia, Bloom sydrome, Kostman syndrome, and Down syndrome, are at a higher risk of developing AML.
Chronic myeloblastic leukemia (CML) is uncommon in children. A specific chromosome rearrangement is found in patients with CML.

Symptoms of leukemia are similar to other symptoms of common ailments that are not cancer.

Leukemia is cancer of the blood-forming tissue called the bone marrow, symptoms are often related to irregular bone marrow function.

Anemia
Bleeding and/or bruising
Recurrent infections
Bone and joint pain
Abdominal distress
Swollen lymph nodes
Difficulty breathing

Leukemia is diagnosed in several different ways. In addition to a medical history and physical exam, diagnostic procedures for leukemia may include:

Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
Complete blood count (CBC)
Additional blood tests
Computerized tomography scan (CT or CAT scan)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
X-ray
Ultrasound (also called sonography)
Lymph node biopsy
Spinal tap/lumbar puncture

Treatment for leukemia is determined by your child’s physician based on:

Your child’s age, overall health and medical history.
The extent of the disease.
Your child’s tolerance for certain medications, procedures or therapies
Expectations for the course of the disease.
YOUR opinion or preference.

Treatment plans change constantly based on new treatment discovery. There are many resources available to assist in the decision of which treatment is best.

Childhood cancer patients face many challenges during treatment. Once treatment is completed challenges do not stop. Cancer survivors may face challenges resulting from late affects. These may include physical and emotional late effects.

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This is a picture of Jeremiah and Professional Skateboarder Tony Hawk. In December of 2007 we went to meet him in San Diego CA through Make a Wish Foundation.

About the author...

For support or contact information please contact Laurie Schwartz 920-819-5817.

My son, Jeremiah, is now 12 and is in remission and doing well. He is experiencing physical and emotional late effects of cancer and it’s treatment.

All About SIBS (Survivors Interests Best Served) Inc. is a non-profit organization that was formed in May 2008. The organization’s mission is to assist survivors and their families with education and resources from the onset of the disease through out the survivor’s life. For more information please email info@allaboutsibs.org.

Factual information was found on Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin web-site www.chw.org.