A two-year-old girl's persistent meltdowns and extreme fatigue were initially dismissed as the 'terrible twos' by both her mother and doctors, but a blood test revealed she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare and aggressive blood cancer.
Mother's Concerns Dismissed
Alicia Bridge, 27, from Freeport, Illinois, noticed her daughter Ada's symptoms in November 2025. The toddler would become 'really tired' and 'only wanted to lay down,' according to Alicia. 'She stopped fighting us on her naps and would go to bed early, even when she took a nap during the day,' Alicia said. 'Doing simple activities would tire her out easily.'
Ada also complained of leg pain and began bruising easily. A severe bruise on her head after being hit by a toy car worsened when she hit her head again days later. Her skin became 'so pale that she looked like she had a yellow tint to her,' Alicia recalled.
Meltdowns as a Red Flag
Ada's meltdowns, occurring daily and lasting up to an hour, were initially attributed to her age and the arrival of a baby brother. 'These meltdowns were typically before going to an activity like ballet or gymnastics,' Alicia explained. 'I think she was experiencing bone pain and she knew going to something like this would cause her pain.'
In December 2025, Alicia took Ada to a doctor suspecting a UTI. She was told Ada 'looked great' and the behaviour was likely age-related. Two weeks later, concerned by her daughter's pallor, Alicia requested a blood test from a pediatrician. That same day, she received a call instructing her to go straight to the hospital.
Diagnosis and Treatment
At the emergency room, doctors mentioned the 'C-word' after blood tests showed dangerously low levels. Ada received multiple blood and platelet transfusions. The next morning, the family learned Ada had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. She spent eight days in hospital before starting treatment, which includes six initial medications, steroids, chemotherapy, and transfusions.
The steroids caused extreme hunger, irritability, facial swelling, and muscle weakness that left Ada unable to walk. 'It felt like her personality was completely gone because she didn’t want to do anything,' Alicia said. Treatment also involves weekly lumbar punctures and 28-day continuous immunotherapy. Ada, now three, is due to begin more intense chemotherapy soon.
Emotional Toll on Family
'It's hard to see your child in pain every day,' Alicia admitted. 'During things like port access, where they stab a needle in her and we have to hold her down while she screams “why are you hurting me?”. It breaks my heart.' Ada is currently responding well to treatment with minimal side effects, and her parents hope this continues.
Alicia has shared their journey online to warn other parents about ALL symptoms, which include fatigue, easy bruising, paleness, frequent infections, bone pain, and swollen glands. 'These children deserve to have a cure,' she said. 'They deserve treatment that isn’t so harsh; safer treatments shouldn’t be a dream.'
