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Differential Diagnosis for a 2-year-old Male with Hemoptysis, Fatigue, and Muscle Pain

  • Single most likely diagnosis
    • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL): The presence of petechiae, cervical and axillary adenopathy, splenomegaly, and symptoms like fatigue and muscle pain are highly suggestive of ALL, a common malignancy in children that can cause bone marrow failure and lead to bleeding manifestations like hemoptysis.
  • Other Likely diagnoses
    • Infectious Mononucleosis: Caused by Epstein-Barr virus, it can present with fever (though the patient is afebrile, this can vary), sore throat, tonsillar enlargement, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly. However, hemoptysis is less common.
    • Lymphoma: Both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma can present with lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and systemic symptoms like fatigue. Hemoptysis could occur if there's pulmonary involvement.
  • Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
    • Tuberculosis: Although less likely given the clinical presentation, TB can cause hemoptysis, lymphadenopathy, and systemic symptoms. It's crucial to consider, especially if the patient has been exposed or has risk factors.
    • Wegener's Granulomatosis (Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis): A vasculitis that can cause hemoptysis, systemic symptoms, and might have lymphadenopathy. It's rare but critical to diagnose due to its potential for severe organ damage.
  • Rare diagnoses
    • Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: Can present with a wide range of symptoms including lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and systemic symptoms. Hemoptysis could occur if there's pulmonary involvement.
    • Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH): A rare disorder of the immune system that can cause systemic symptoms, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and cytopenias. Although hemoptysis is not a common presentation, the disease's severity warrants consideration in a differential diagnosis for a child with a complex presentation.

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This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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