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Pediatric Brain Tumors
Pediatric Brain Tumors are the growth of abnormal cells or masses that occur in the
child’s brain and the nearby structure. It is cancerous and non-cancerous. Treatment and prognosis will depend
on the tumor type, brain location, how much it has spread, and your child’s general health. Consulting the neuro
doctor, without any delay will increase the chances of getting a successful outcome. If the pediatric
neurologist in Ludhiana suspects that your child has a tumor, then he will perform different tests and
accordingly suggest the treatment.
What are the symptoms of a brain tumor in children?
Signs and symptoms of the brain tumor are different with every child. It depends on
the brain size, location, type, and rate of growth. Timely intervention for brain tumor surgery Punjab will help
your child’s health to get better. Given below is the list of some of the common symptoms:
- Unexplained vomiting or nausea
- Effective vision issues like double vision.
- Increased pressure in the head
- Headaches which are severe and frequent
Some of the other signs & symptoms which depend on its location are:
- A fuller soft spot (fontanel) on the skull in babies
- Seizures (When there is no history of seizures)
- Slurred speech
- Problem creating balance
- Trouble walking
- Trouble swallowing
- Loss of appetite or difficulty feeding
- Abnormal eye movement
- Arm & leg weakness or loss of sensation
- Face Weakness or drooping
- Confusion and irritability
- Hearing problems
- Memory problems
- Personality or behavior changes
What are the causes of a brain tumor in children?
Although the exact reason is not known for the brain tumor in children. Mostly,
these are the primary brain tumors that begin from the brain and tissues near it. Due to the error or
mutation in DNA, the cell begins to grow & divide at an increased rate.
What are the possible risk factors?
As we have mentioned, the cause behind the brain tumor in children is not clear.
However, some of them are common which include:
- Ependymoma
- Medulloblastoma
Although, if there is a family history of brain tumors then your child will be at increased risk of getting
diagnosed with it.
How is it diagnosed?
The neurologist in Ludhiana will recommend different tests and procedures to
diagnose your child’s health and determine the best possible solution. Some of the tests are:
- Neurological Exam : Check the strength, reflex, balance, hearing & coordination.
- Imaging Tests : Determine the size and location of the tumor. MRI is done along with CT
and PET can be done. - Biopsy : The biopsy is the test where sample tissue is removed. Through biopsy the cell
type is known and how much aggressive it is.
Apart from that, the doctor will perform precision medicine diagnosis and test to see how far cancer has spread.
What are the treatment options?
Surgery
- If the tumor is accessible through surgery, then the pediatric neurosurgeon will remove the tumor as
effectively and safely as he can. - Sometimes the tumors are small and they can be separated from the brain tissue which allows the surgery
to be done with ease.
It is important to understand that removing certain parts of the brain will
reduce the signs & symptoms.
Traditional Radiation Therapy
During radiation therapy, the high-energy beams are delivered by a machine that
is either outside the body or placed inside of the body.
- Outside the body (external beam radiation)
- Inside the body (Brachytherapy)
Mostly the whole brain radiation is used to treat cancer which has spread from
one part of the brain to another.
Proton Beam Therapy
With the proton beam therapy, the targeted doses of radiation to the brain tumor
are delivered. Through this option, the chances of developing new cancer are reduced.
Apart from these treatment chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and rehabilitation following treatment is
important.