Childhood brain tumors are any parent's worst fear. According to the 2004 to 2005 Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States report, 3,400 new cases are diagnosed each year. The Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation reports that one in 30,000 to 40,000 children in the United States will be diagnosed with a brain tumor before the age of 20 years. Symptoms of childhood brain tumors vary depending on the location, size and kind of tumor.
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Headaches
A 2006 study in Archives of Diseases in Childhood found that headache is the most common first symptom of childhood brain tumors. Specifically worrisome are headaches that awaken children from sleep and early morning headaches followed by vomiting. Headaches caused by brain tumors increase in frequency and severity over time as the tumor causes increased pressure on the brain.
Ataxia
Ataxia means stumbling while walking. Ataxia also refers to uncoordinated movements of the arms that can cause children to have difficulty with things like writing, grasping small objects and fastening buttons. Unlike general clumsiness, ataxia begins suddenly and progresses in severity. The coordination center in the brain lies in the cerebellum, which is a common location of childhood brain tumors.
Visual Problems
Some children with these tumors complain of double vision or decreased vision, which is caused by direct compression of the optic nerve. Brain tumors that grow to a very large size and cause increased pressure in the brain can cause vision problems simply because of swelling around the optic nerve.
Educational and Behavioral Problems
Sometimes parents or teachers may notice new behavioral or learning problems as a first symptom. Increased brain pressure can cause a general decrease in alertness. Tumors located in key centers in the brain controlling things such as logic, personality, memory and reasoning can lead to abnormal behavior and academic difficulties
Seizures
The same 2006 study in Archives of Diseases in Childhood found that seizures are the initial symptom of childhood brain tumors in 9% of cases. Focal seizures (seizures that only involve one side of the body or face) are more worrisome than generalized seizures (seizures that cause total-body jerking and shaking) because they can indicate a tumor in a specific location in the brain. Seizures that do not occur in the context of a fever and seizures that are recurrent are also worrisome symptoms.
Other Neurologic Symptoms
Weakness, dizziness, speech problems, difficulty swallowing and hand tremors can also be symptoms of a childhood brain tumor. When these symptoms are seen, they are rarely the first or only symptoms.
Symptoms in Infants
Symptoms in infants are sometimes difficult to identify because their motor, speech and cognitive development are so limited. A bulging soft spot, abnormally increasing head circumference from one well check-up to another and an abnormal appearance of one of the pupils (sometimes seen in snapshots taken with a camera flash) can be indications of an underlying brain tumor.
References
- Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) report, Primary Brain Tumors in the United States, 2004-2005
- Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation; The Epidemiology of Brain Tumors in Children; Melissa Singer, M.D. and Julianne Byrne, Ph.D.
- Archives of Diseases in Childhood; Presenting Symptoms of Pediatric Brain Tumors; Wilne SH, Ferris RC, Nathwani A, et al; 2006; 91
