| Signs and symptoms of brain tumours | 1319.00000000000 | Signs and symptoms of brain tumours | Signs and symptoms of brain tumours | S | English | Neurology;Oncology | Child (0-12 years);Teen (13-18 years) | Brain;Spine | Nervous system | Symptoms | Adult (19+) | Headache;Nausea;Vomiting;Vision problems;Decreased hearing | | 2009-07-10T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 7.10000000000000 | 65.3000000000000 | 719.000000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>An in-depth look at the signs and symptoms of a brain tumour in children such as headaches, lack of coordination, and increased intracranial pressure</p> | <p>Brain tumours can cause many different signs and symptoms. There is a difference between a sign and symptom. A child will feel a symptom, but a sign is usually detected in medical tests. Both signs and symptoms are assessed when making a diagnosis. </p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul><li>Common symptoms of brain tumours include: headaches; vomiting or nausea; vision problems; seizures; and changes in personality or memory.</li>
<li>Lack of coordination is associated mostly with tumours in the cerebellum and brain stem.</li>
<li>Brain tumours can result in hydrocephalus and vision problems.</li></ul> | <h2>What are some signs and medical symptoms of brain tumours?</h2><p>The symptoms depend on where the tumour is located in the brain. Some common symptoms that brain tumours cause are: </p><ul><li>headaches, caused by increased pressure on the brain</li><li>vomiting or nausea, caused by increased pressure on the brain </li><li>vision problems, such as double vision or blurred vision </li><li>lack of coordination<br></li><li>handwriting and school performance get worse gradually</li><li>seizures</li><li>weakness or loss of feeling in parts of the body</li><li>changes to the senses of hearing or smelling</li><li>changes in personality or memory</li></ul><p>In infants, some of the symptoms are:</p><ul><li>irritability</li><li>sleepiness</li><li>changes in sleep patterns</li><li>crying more than usual</li><li>falling behind in meeting developmental milestones</li><li>unusual growth in head size</li><li>lack of coordination</li></ul><h2>Lack of coordination</h2><p>A brain tumour can create coordination problems. Lack of coordination is associated mostly with tumours in the cerebellum and brain stem. Two of the signs that are associated with brain tumours are: </p><h3>Ataxia</h3><p>A child with ataxia has clumsy movements and is unsteady on their feet. They may frequently fall down or have problems sitting up without support. </p><h3>Dysmetria</h3><p>This occurs when a child cannot accurately control an action. For example, when reaching for a book, they may not be able to judge how far they should move their hand to get the book, or the strength they need to pick it up. They may also be unable to control the speed at which they move their hand. </p><h2>Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) </h2>
<figure><span class="asset-image-title">Fontanelle Area</span><img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Fontanelle_MED_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Fontanelle on the top of a baby’s head" /> </figure>
<p>The skull is like a closed box that cannot expand. When a tumour grows, the pressure inside this “box,” known as the intracranial pressure (ICP), grows. The tumour pushes against other parts of the brain. Swollen tissues around the tumour also create pressure. Tumour growth most often leads to a condition called " hydrocephalus," which is a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. Hydrocephalus, described below, additionally increases ICP. </p><h3>Hydrocephalus</h3><p>Tumour growth and swelling in the brain may block the flow of the clear, watery fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is produced by the choroid plexus part of the brain and travels inside the brain and spinal cord on a special pathway. CSF provides a cushion for the brain and spinal cord. It helps prevent them from becoming injured. </p>
<figure><span class="asset-image-title">Hydrocephalus</span>
<div class="asset-animation"> src="https://akhpub.aboutkidshealth.ca/Style%20Library/akh/swfanimations/swf.html?swffile=Hydrocephalus_infant_MED_ANI_EN.swf" </div> </figure>
<p>If the flow of CSF is blocked by the tumour, it builds up like water at a dam. This leads to a condition called hydrocephalus. The ventricles become larger, and pressure inside the head grows. Hydrocephalus has also been called "water on the brain." If a child has hydrocephalus, the doctor may drain the excess fluid from the brain by either performing a surgical procedure called a ventriculostomy or inserting a shunt in the brain.</p><p>Some symptoms of increased ICP (with and without hydrocephalus) are:</p><ul><li>headaches (typically in the morning)</li><li>vomiting and/or nausea (typically in the morning)</li><li>onset of squint and blurred or decreased vision</li><li>changes in alertness, such as sluggishness or drowsiness</li><li>changes in behaviour</li><li>seizures</li><li>in infants: bulging fontanelle (soft spot) or increased skull size </li><li>in infants: downward-cast eyes where the white part of the eye shows at the top; also called "sunset eyes"</li></ul><h2>Vision problems</h2><p>In some cases, the tumour affects the optic nerve. This is a nerve that carries messages between the eye and the brain. It may also affect the nerves that control the movement of the eyes, which are cranial nerves. Some eye problems are: </p><ul><li>papilledema: this occurs when the optic nerve is swollen </li><li>vision loss</li><li>double vision</li><li>nystagmus: this refers to a rapid, uncontrollable movement of the eye </li><li>tunnel vision </li><li>blindness</li></ul> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/signs_and_symptoms_of_brain_tumours.jpg | | | | | | | Signs and symptoms of brain tumours | | False | | | | | | | | |
