Introduction: Among serious illnesses, leukemia is the most common malignant tumor in children, ranking first among pediatric cancers and posing a severe threat to young lives.With most families having only one child today, the exact cause of leukemia remains unclear. Proper care for childhood leukemia is crucial for recovery.Most families today have only one child. To date, the exact cause of leukemia remains unclear. Care for pediatric leukemia is crucial for recovery and treatment. Care for children with leukemia primarily emphasizes psychological support, infection prevention, dietary management, and family care guidance. The goal of care should be to improve the child's quality of life. Our hospital's experts will discuss the care for pediatric leukemia.
I. Rest: Children with leukemia often exhibit reduced stamina during activities and require bed rest, though strict confinement is generally unnecessary. For those confined to bed long-term, frequent position changes are essential to prevent pressure sores.
II. Infection Prevention: Infection is a major cause of mortality in pediatric leukemia patients. Therefore, the most critical nursing approach is infection prevention. Leukemia patients have compromised immune function. Chemotherapy drugs suppress bone marrow, often leading to reduced or absent mature neutrophils, further weakening immunity. Neutropenia or agranulocytosis combined with impaired immunity are risk factors for infection. The longer neutropenia persists, the greater the infection risk.The following measures can be taken to prevent infection. III. Personal Hygiene: Maintain oral cleanliness by rinsing with warm water or an oral rinse before and after meals. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid damaging the oral mucosa, which can cause bleeding and secondary infection. For mucosal fungal infections, apply fluconazole or itraconazole to the affected area.Care for pediatric leukemia patients should include frequent clothing changes. Daily bathing facilitates sweat elimination, reducing the risk of folliculitis and skin abscesses. Maintain bowel regularity; clean the anus with warm water or saline after defecation to prevent perianal abscess formation.
IV. Bleeding Management Bleeding is another major cause of mortality in pediatric leukemia patients. Refer to the care measures for primary thrombocytopenic purpura in this chapter for bleeding management.