The most common form of childhood cancer is leukemia---a medical condition caused by the presence of cancerous cells within the bone marrow or blood. This condition develops most frequently in children between the ages of 2 and 6, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania reports, but can also occur in babies. Symptoms of leukemia are similar for both babies and young children.
Recurrent Infections
If your baby has leukemia, her normal immune cells are unable to defend her body against infection due to this condition. An inefficient immune system due to leukemia can cause your baby to experience frequent recurrent infections. Symptoms of infection in a baby can include fever, fatigue, restlessness and inconsolable crying.
Breathing Difficulties
Leukemia can cause a tumor to form within a gland called the thymus. The thymus is located near the throat beneath the breastbone and is responsible for producing a type of immune cell called the T lymphocyte. Tumor formation within the thymus due to leukemia can interfere with your baby's ability to breathe normally. If your baby has leukemia, you might notice that he frequently coughs or wheezes. Such symptoms require immediate emergency medical intervention.
Weight Loss
Abdominal pain is a common symptom in children and babies with leukemia, explain health professionals at Seattle Children's Hospital in Washington. If your baby has leukemia, she may experience a decrease in her appetite, which can cause her to be uninterested in breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Insufficient nutrition due to decreased appetite can cause your baby to lose weight or fail to gain weight naturally.
Swollen Lymph Nodes
The lymph nodes are a part of the body's immune system and act as a filter for the blood. In babies with leukemia, cancer cells within the blood can collect within the lymph nodes throughout the body. If this occurs, your baby can develop swollen lymph nodes, which are located within the neck, groin, chest and underneath the arms.
Bruising
Leukemia interferes with the body's ability to produce adequate levels of platelets---a blood component that helps the blood clot normally. If your baby has leukemia, he can develop frequent bruises across his body as a result of this condition. You may find that holding your baby or changing her diaper causes bruising to develop on her body.
Anemia
If your baby has leukemia, she can develop a condition called anemia. Anemia occurs when there is an inadequate supply of oxygenated blood within the body. A baby that has anemia due to leukemia can appear pale, tired, restless or weak.
