Brain Tumors In Babies – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatments
Does your baby’s head suddenly appear enlarged? Does she exhibit abnormal limb movements? Does she suffer from bouts of vomiting? If you nodded along in solemn agreement, consider reading our post.
Your baby might be suffering from a brain tumor. A brain tumor is a serious condition, and you should seek immediate medical attention. Here we talk about brain tumors in babies and how they affect babies.
What Is A Brain Tumor?
A brain tumor is a serious health condition that can affect the growth, development, and health of your baby. A brain tumor is a mass of cells that develop when the brain cells grow excessively and abnormally. When the mass of cells exerts pressure on particular areas of a baby’s brain, it affects concerned brain functions.
Causes Of Brain Tumor In Babies:
Research and medical science are still unable to discover the exact cause of brain tumor in babies. However, certain researchers believe that brain tumor in babies occurs due to genetic or environmental factors (1).
[ Read: Symptoms Of Epilepsy In Babies ]
Symptoms Of Brain Tumor In Babies:
How do you tell if your little one suffers from a brain tumor? We list some signs of brain tumor in baby to help you identify:
- A rapidly enlarging head
- Frequent vomiting
- Weakness or inability to move face, arms, trunk, or legs
- Difficulty in normal movements
- Poor co-ordination
- Frequent crying (2)
[ Read: Common Newborn Problems ]
Diagnosing Brain Tumor In Babies:
Diagnosing a brain tumor is a complex procedure. A neurological examination by a professional, experienced doctor involves imaging studies, such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and CT (Computed Tomography) scans to detect the presence of a brain tumor. All these tests are painless and won’t cause any harm to your little one.
Treatment For Brain Tumor In Babies:
If detected at an early stage, a brain tumor is curable, but your little one may have to undergo surgery. Here we talk about some treatment options: (3)
1. Surgery:
Surgery is an effective treatment to cure brain tumor in the babies. Pediatric neurosurgeons use stereotactic devices to cure brain tumors. Staged surgeries are also effective options for treatment. During the staged surgery, surgeons remove a part of a large tumor. Further treatment includes antibiotics that help break down the rest of the tumor. You will need to follow up with periodic checkups and imaging scans for your little one (4).
[ Read: Congenital Heart Disease In Babies ]
2. Radiation Therapy:
Radiation therapy uses high-energy light beams that rapidly eliminate multiple tumor cells. The treatment uses computer-assisted technologies for delivery. These devices help develop 3D radiation fields that target the tumor tissues accurately while avoiding the risk of injury. However, radiation therapy can have long-term side effects on your baby.
3. Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy is the most common treatment for curing brain tumors. Chemotherapy also has adverse side effects, which can include hair loss among others.
Late Effects:
Late effects or delayed effects are problems that develop after cancer treatments. Your baby may suffer from late effects of tumor treatment like cognitive delay, hormone deficiencies, hearing and vision problems, growth abnormalities, seizures, and the possibility of a relapse.
[ Read: Cancer In Babies ]
A Word of Caution:
Brain tumors are treatable if detected soon enough. If your little one suffers from a brain tumor, you need to seek immediate medical attention and follow the right line of treatment. Early and appropriate treatment will help your baby have a happy and uninhibited childhood.
We hope you found the article on brain tumors in babies useful. Share this post with other mommies. Brain tumors are a potentially fatal condition. So, if you have a baby who suffers from a brain tumor, or you know someone who does, enlighten them. If you have any experiences, stories, suggestions, please tell us below.
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