Children with headaches may be due to brain tumors

Parents should not be subjective if the child has a headache. Not only is it a sign of fever or tonsillitis, headache can also be a sign of brain tumors - a type of cancer in children.

Chệ Thắng, 7 years old, complained of a frequent headache about 2 days. After the school session, she also felt tired, difficult to focus on the lesson . When she was given medicine to treat headache (paracetamol), Thang felt comfortable. But the headache has returned with increasing intensity. In the following days, he also had nausea or vomiting a lot, vomited in the early morning. When taking my child to visit, Thang's parents knew that he had a brain tumor.

Brain tumors are second in 10 common childhood cancers. As reported in Ho Chi Minh City, this disease accounts for 12% of the number of childhood cancers, second only to leukemia (34%). These are the two leading types of cancer for children in Vietnam.

Two-thirds of brain tumors are found in young children about 5 years old, located in the posterior pit (the cerebellum).

Although the cause of the disease is unknown, medicine has identified a number of risk factors for brain tumors such as radiation effects, some family genetic diseases (polyneuropathy, old fibrosis). ), N-nitrosamine compounds .

Besides clinical examination, computed tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are two main means for diagnosing brain tumors. These two techniques can help detect 95% of the tumor lesions of the nervous system, with parameters such as: location, number, size, nature of brain tumors and the extent of damage to the brain tissue. close.

The main treatment is surgery to remove brain tumors. It is best to fully remove the tumor and do a pathological examination to know its nature and histological origin. If the cancer is benign, the child only needs to be followed for a while after surgery.

For large tumors or tumors that are not fully removed, additional radiation therapy after surgery is extremely necessary. Radiotherapy for infants under 36 months of age is carefully considered to prevent complications of radiation on brain tissue. Currently, chemotherapy also plays a role in strengthening surgical outcomes, applicable to children under 36 months of age or brain tumors that are sensitive to chemotherapy.

Gamma knives are considered for use in some cases of small size brain tumors and cerebrovascular lesions, located in a deep position, difficult to reach safely with a scalpel blade. Gamma knives do not replace the role of children with brain tumors.

How to detect it early?

Parents and caregivers need attention when children complain of headaches accompanied by one of the following abnormalities:

- Headaches are repeated and more frequent, progressively heavier.
- Nausea and vomiting in the morning.
- Seizures or drowsiness.
- The eyes look poor and do not see clearly.
- Strumming or falling easily.
- The head is fast (seen in children under 12 months old).

Should take her to visit the hospital with specialized neurosurgery, Pediatric neurology.