Ring-A-Ring-O-Roses / Early Symptoms of a Brain Tumour

Three years ago today my little boy was sick in the morning for the first time. For the rest of the day he was right as rain. I re-live that day over and over again, thinking I should have known somehow that there was something very wrong.

Skye was diagnosed with acid reflux and was treated for this mis-diagnosis for two weeks. It was only due to seeking another GP's opinion and the fact that we were becoming worried that he wasn't improving, we insisted upon seeing a specialist paediatric consultant at our local hospital. Skye was diagnose fairly quickly but I have heard time and time again that children were not being diagnosed until they arrived at hospital with very sever symptoms at A&E. He did not suffer from headaches and I remember telling him to "look ill" while we were waiting in the doctors surgery as I was worried we wouldn't be taken seriously.

Brain Tumours are the leading cause of cancer deaths in children, and the UK is slower than other countries at spotting the signs. We need to change this and by providing practical resources to help parents and doctors I hope this will go some way to save and improve lives. I am really not intending to scaremonger, just to act as a reference and to inform parents and professionals what to look out for as it has been understandably playing on my mind today. As you can see from the video below just a couple of week before Skye was diagnosed, he was not a child who looked like he had a deadly tumour lurking and growing at tremendous speed.

The irony of the children's nursery rhyme Ring-A-Ring-O-Roses, makes me roll my eyes and shake my head every time I watch it but Jesse loves to watch himself having such innocent fun with his big bro so we thought we would share it with you to enjoy too.

HeadSmart is a campaign which is aimed at educating parents and GP's in the hope that it will will save and improve lives. If you would like to find out more information please visit www.HeadSmart.org.uk (Symptom cards can be requested for GP surgeries and local Schools).

SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

*Persistant / recurrent vomiting

*Balance / co-ordination / walking problems

*Abnormal eye movements

*Behaviour change, particularly lethergy

*Fits or seizures (not with a fever)

*Abnormal head position such as wry neck, head tilt or stiff neck

*Persistant / recurrent headache (over 5 years)

*Blurred or double vision (over 5 years)

*Delayed or arrested puberty, slow growth (over 12 years)

If your child has any ONE of these, see your doctor. If TWO or more, ask for an "urgent referral".

With thanks to HEADSMART CAMPAIGN