Children are more sensitive to ionizing radiation than adults. Even though the risk is very low, exposure from radiological examinations can possibly cause them long-term side effects. Recent large epidemiological studies involving children and young adults have added evidence suggesting that even small doses of radiation can have meaningful impacts on their health.
Radiation therapy for childhood leukemia is similar to getting an x-ray but with much stronger radiation.It is painless, but younger children may need to be sedated to ensure they don’t move during treatment. Each treatment lasts only a few minutes, although the setup time can be longer.
Children are at a greater risk than adults of developing cancer after being exposed to ionizing radiation.Their developing bodies and long life expectancy post-exposure require specific attention in the aftermath of nuclear accidents and when radiation is used for diagnosis or treatment purposes.
Symptoms to watch out for in children that might indicate leukemia include prolonged fever lasting more than two weeks, loss of appetite without weight gain, bleeding such as nosebleeds and bleeding gums, the emergence of hematomas or bruises, and lumps in the neck, arms, or legs. According to data from Globocan in 2020, leukemia is the most common cancer among Indonesian children, accounting for 34.8 percent of all childhood cancer cases.
