Symptoms

Children with ALL often experience the following symptoms. Sometimes, children with ALL do not show any of these symptoms. These symptoms may also be caused by a medical condition that is not cancer. For example, the early signs of ALL can look very much like the flu or other common illnesses. When one or more of these symptoms lasts for longer than one would expect, or you are worried about a symptom on this list, please talk with your child’s doctor.

• Frequent infections
  
  
• A fever that doesn’t go away
  
  
• Feeling weak and tired all the time
  
  
• Aching bones and joints
  
  
• Swollen lymph nodes (in the neck, under the arms, and groin, for example)
  
  
• Pallor (paleness)
  
  
• Bruising or bleeding easily
  
  
• Difficulty breathing

The child’s doctor may also detect an enlarged liver or spleen during a physical examination.