The health of a child is usually more delicate than that of an adult, especially when we talk about brain tumours in children. However, there are more and more specialised treatments that offer excellent results and do not represent a risk to your health.
What are the symptoms of a brain tumour in children?
Symptoms of a brain tumour in children are as follows:
- Headaches that worsen with physical activity
- inability to concentrate
- increased sleep
- Loss of memory
- vomiting
- seizures
- Vision or hearing loss
What are the causes of brain tumours in children?
A brain tumour in children usually appears in the brain or nearby tissue and structures. The exact causes of these brain tumours have not yet been identified, but it is now known that they appear as a consequence of an alteration in the cells or also due to other syndromes or diseases.
Among the genetic diseases most likely to develop brain tumours are:
Neurofibromatosis. is a genetic disorder that generates the formation of tumours in the nervous tissue (brain, spinal cord or nerves).
Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. This rare disease produces cysts and benign tumours in anybody, including the brain.
Li-Fraumeni syndrome. It is an inherited disorder that produces mutations in the TP53 gene and increases the risk of suffering from different types of cancer from an early age.
What are the types of brain tumours in children?
Although there are many types of cancer and tumours, only some are more common in children. These tumours cause different symptoms depending on their location, size, age, and health condition. These factors will also determine the type of treatment that must be carried out to eliminate them and alleviate their complications.
Below we list the most common brain tumours in children:
Astrocytoma
It is the most common brain tumour in children between 5 and 8 years old. It usually grows slowly without causing symptoms until it presses on the brain and, in some cases, becomes aggressive cancer that develops quickly.
Your symptoms may vary depending on where the tumour is located: the brain or the spinal cord. When it appears in the brain, the signs of a brain tumour in children are seizures, headaches, and nausea.
When it appears in the spinal cord, it causes weakness and disability in the area affected by the tumour. The most recommended treatment to treat astrocytomas in children is usually surgery to remove cancer; however, it is impossible to do it in all cases.
Ependymoma
In children, the ependymoma appears near the cerebellum and blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. It can be benign or cancerous depending on its location and occurs most often in young children under three years of age.
In neonates and infants, head enlargement may be one of the first signs of ependymoma. As the tumour grows, it can cause irritability, drowsiness, and vomiting. Also, in older children, the most common signs are the following:
- Dizziness and balance problems
- Eye problems, such as double or blurred vision
- Headache or feeling of pressure in the head
- nausea and vomiting
- seizures
For the diagnosis of ependymoma, tests such as:
Neurological exam. During this exam, the doctor will test your child’s vision, hearing, balance, and reflexes. Parents should explain the symptoms and changes they have noticed. In this way, the doctor can understand the possible causes.
Diagnostic imaging. The next step is to perform an MRI to find the tumour and determine its size and exact location. If the doctor suspects an ependymoma, tests will also be done on the spine.
Cerebrospinal fluid extraction. This test looks for tumours or abnormal cells in the spinal fluid. It is done by inserting a needle between two bones in the lower spine.
Treatment options for ependymoma include surgery to remove the tumour and chemotherapy or radiosurgery. Depending on the complexity of the tumour, the doctor can recommend the least invasive alternatives, radiosurgery being one of the most effective.
Radiosurgery uses tiny radiation beams focused only on the tumour to kill cancer cells. This treatment is usually the ideal option for children since it has fewer risks and side effects.
Medulloblastoma
It is a cancerous tumour that appears in the cerebellum, an area of the brain that is responsible for balance, movement and muscle coordination, so these functions are affected. It can spread to other areas of the brain and spinal cord through the cerebrospinal fluid and, although rare, is one of the most common brain tumours in young children.
When it comes to treatment, it is not only essential to remove the malignant brain tumour in children, but also to reduce the amount of accumulated fluid, as it can put pressure on the skull and cause other unpleasant symptoms. In many cases, surgery is not the ideal option due to the depth of the medulloblastoma, but it is usually effective in draining excess fluid.
Brain stem glioma
Childhood brain stem glioma is a type of tumour that is usually very aggressive and grows and spreads rapidly. It appears in the central nervous system and mainly affects children between 5 and 10 years of age.
The brain stem controls vital brain functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, and the nerves and muscles used for seeing, hearing, walking, speaking, and eating. Most tumours appear in a difficult-to-operate area of the brainstem, complicating treatment.
The main treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy and radiosurgery. Surgery is used to treat childhood glioma only when it is focal (growing within the trunk), so it can be removed without causing damage to the brain.
Chemotherapy alone is ineffective against brainstem gliomas, so it is recommended as an adjunct to surgery or radiotherapy. Finally, stereotactic radiosurgery is a less invasive option that offers good results without affecting healthy brain tissue.
Optic nerve glioma
As the name implies, optic nerve gliomas occur on the nerves that send information from the eyes to the brain. In addition to affecting vision, they alter hormones since they are found at the base of the brain (where hormones are controlled). It is usually detected around the age of 5 and primarily affects children.
Its symptoms are related to vision and can affect it in different ways, such as:
- Involuntary eye movements
- Vision loss in one or both eyes
- Squint
- The eyes may protrude abnormally.
In cases where the tumour has spread to other brain areas, the most recommended treatment options are usually chemotherapy or radiosurgery. In this way, the tumour cells are attacked to prevent them from multiplying and eventually dying. These treatments aim to relieve symptoms and stop the progression of the disease.
At Gamma Knife del Pacífico, we have successfully treated multiple cases of diseases in children. We have testimonials from satisfied patients, as is the subject of Giovana Morante, mother of a teenager with OCD. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.