Boy's persistent sore throat leads to leukaemia diagnosis

A Sunshine Coast mother is devastated after her 10-year-old son, Cooper, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. What began as a persistent sore throat, initially treated as tonsillitis, escalated over three weeks, leading to hospital visits and ultimately a leukaemia diagnosis.

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He was so quiet.

Cooper's mother, Naomi Turner, noticed a significant drop in his energy levels, describing him as unusually quiet and lacking his typical enthusiasm for playing with friends. After antibiotics failed to alleviate his severe sore throat, and he began struggling to eat or walk, Turner sought further medical attention.

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For any kid, [that's] quite normal, not out of the blue.

Cooper was admitted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital and by the following morning, he was undergoing chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia at Brisbane Children's Hospital. Turner described the news as a "complete shock," leaving her stunned and shaking.

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It was still severe. He wasn't eating … he wasn't even walking.

Professor Maher Gandhi from Mater Research explained that infections are common symptoms of leukaemia, with sore throats being a frequent presentation. However, he cautioned against undue alarm, stating that most childhood sore throats are unrelated to leukaemia. He advised parents to be vigilant for recurrent, severe sore throats, particularly when accompanied by other symptoms such as low energy, easy breathlessness, or a general lack of interest in activities usually enjoyed by the child.

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He was quite critical.