‘Mother’s Instinct’: A 6-Year-Old Boy Is Diagnosed With Leukemia after His Mother Googled Suspicious Rash

"He was awfully pale but because he'd been kickboxing with his twin brother I just thought it was probably because the boys were being a bit rough with him," Kian’s mother, Danielle, said. "It was only when I noticed he had little purple pin-prick marks over him when I thought I needed help."

That’s when she turned to Google to investigate the rash.

"It said the marks were a sign of leukemia,” she said. "So I phoned my dad and said ‘I think Kian has cancer’ and he said: 'Don't believe everything you read on Google.'"

And while that might normally be good advice, Danielle was right to be worried. Kian was getting very fatigued and he kept wanting to go back to bed, so Danielle took him to the hospital.

"We went up to the Grange and within two hours we found out he had leukemia," she said.

Kian was then diagnosed with early-stage acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but his mother wasn’t surprised.

What Is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?

"I wasn't shocked with the news," she said. "It's mother's instinct isn't it? Something kicked in. Of course it's very sad news and not what we wanted to hear, but we're pleased it's been caught early and we are staying positive."

Fast forward to today, and he’s onto his fourth week of chemotherapy while also dealing with Covid-19. He’s had various chemo side effects, but, overall, spirits are high despite a long road of chemo planned for the next three years ahead.

"Considering everything he is going through he is doing amazingly," Danielle said. "He has started to lose his hair, and he is sore often. We are taking it step by step and hoping the chemo does its job and he reacts well to it.

"We are not sure whether Kian's treatment will work but at the moment Kian has a strong chance of coming through it. We're a bit unsure but we have lots of hope."

Understanding Leukemia

Leukemia is a blood cancer that develops when the body produces large quantities of abnormal white blood cells. These cells prevent the bone marrow from producing any other type of cell including red blood cells and platelets.

"One cell got really selfish and decided that it needed to take up all the resources of everybody else, and, in doing so, took up space and energy from the rest of the body," Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist at University of California San Francisco, explained.

What Is a Blood Cancer? How Is It different?

In a more general sense, blood cancer means that your bone marrow is not functioning properly.

"And when your bone marrow doesn't function correctly, it means that you can have something happen to you like anemia," she said. "Or you can have low platelets, which makes it possible for you to bleed easily. Or your immune system is not functioning correctly."

Symptoms of leukemia can vary depending on the type of leukemia. Common signs and symptoms of the disease include:

• Fever or chills
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Frequent or severe infections
• Losing weight without trying
• Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
• Excessive sweating, especially at night
• Bone pain or tenderness

Advocating for Your Child

Here at SurvivorNet, we’re always preaching for people to advocate for themselves when it comes to cancer and, more generally, health care. That’s because cancer is an incredibly serious disease, and you have every right to insist that your doctors investigate any possible signs of it. But when it comes to a child, the parent must become the advocate like we saw in the above case.

The Impact of a Childhood Cancer Diagnosis on the Whole Family Jayne Wexler Shares Her Story

And even if you’re called ‘pushy’ or people dismiss the concerns you have for your child, it’s important to remember that you never know when speaking up about a seemingly unproblematic issue can lead to a very important diagnosis cancer or otherwise.

"Every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn't work, what the next plan is," Dr. Zuri Murell, director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "And I think that that's totally fair. And me as a health professional that's what I do for all of my patients."

Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle

In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, April Knowles also talked about self advocacy and explained how she became a breast cancer advocate after her doctor dismissed the lump in her breast as a side effect of her menstrual period. Unfortunately, that dismissal was a mistake. Knowles was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 39. She said the experience taught her the importance of listening to her body and speaking up when something doesn't feel right.

I Wanted My Doctor To Like Me, Then He Missed My Breast Cancer

"I wanted my doctor to like me," she said. "I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors."

Figuring out whether or not you actually have cancer based on possible symptoms is critical because early detection may help with treatment and outcomes. Think of little Kian, for example. If his mother didn’t investigate his symptoms promptly, they might’ve caught his cancer at a later stage.

Seeking multiple opinions is one way make sure you are or your child is getting the proper care and attention. You should also try to remember that not all doctors are in agreement. Recommendations for further testing or treatment options can vary, and sometimes it's essential to talk with multiple medical professionals.

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