Cancers in children are often hard to diagnose. Although there are signs and symptoms associated with each type of pediatric Cancer, some kids do not show any symptom, making it hard to detect the type of cancer and the stage. However, motoring your child’s health carefully will help you decode and address the problem at an early stage.
Here are 5 pediatric cancers you must be aware of.
1. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
This is one of the most common types of cancer found in children. ALL occurs in kids between the age of 2 and 4, more commonly in boys than in girls. It starts off with the bone marrow and spreads all the way into the blood and other organs.
Symptoms include: Bleeding from gums, fever, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, unexplained weight loss.
2. Brain tumour
Brain tumors account for 27% of all cases of cancer caused in children under the age of 15. Most brain cancers or tumors start at the stem of the brain and symptoms include dizziness, headache, frequent vomiting, sudden vision, speech or sight problems.
3. Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma occurs in the immature nerve cells children and in infants. More common in males than in females, neuroblastoma occurs primarily in kids under 5 years of age. The disease often begins in the adrenalin glands.
Symptoms include: Impaired ability to walk, high blood pressure, changes in the eyes such as dark circles, droopy eyelids and bulging.
4. Lymphoma
Lymphoma starts off in the cells of the immune system called the lymphocytes. The cancer affects the lymph nodes, lymph tissues and can even go all the way down to the bone marrow and other organs.
Symptoms include: Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin, fever, sweats, weight loss, weakness
5. Wilms Tumor
Wilms tumor starts off in the kidney and accounts for about 5% of the cancer caused in kids. This is common in children between 3-4 years of age and is rare over the age of
Symptoms include: Fever, tiredness, weakness, pain, nausea, decreased appetite, swelling in the belly
Most of these symptoms are much more likely to be caused by something other than cancer, such as an injury or infection. Still, if your child has any of these symptoms, see a doctor so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed.
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