The tumors that are found in children are usually located in the brain. This is considered to be the most common type of solid tumors among children. Around 1,500 children are diagnosed to have tumor every year. Tumors that are found in the brain do not usually contain cancer cells, and upon removal, there is a big chance that the tumor may not recur. However, if it is a malignant tumor, there is a chance that the tumor may recur after treatment.

Tumors also have clear borders, meaning the tumor did not invade its surrounding tissues. This makes the removal through surgery easier. However, since it is a solid mass that presses the other parts of the brain, it produces cancer-like symptoms. Malignant tumors, unlike benign tumors which have clear borders, invade the surrounding tissues and grow easily.

Brain tumor can occur at any age. However, the tumor that occurs in adults is different from the ones that occur in children and infants. It is different when it comes to the type of cells and the responsiveness of the tumor to the treatment implemented.

The most common sign of tumor in children is the increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). It is caused by the pressure exerted from the mass in the brain. The flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is blocked by the mass and causes increase in the intracranial pressure. It produces manifestations such as:

• Drowsiness
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Personality changes
• Depression
• Decreased cardiac and respiratory function, if untreated, it may lead to coma

The manifestations also vary depending on the site of the tumor. The symptoms may be different from one child to another. The most common manifestations of tumor in the cerebrum are:

• Visual changes
• Slurred speech
• Seizures
• Personality changes
• Paralysis on half of the body
• Increase ICP

The manifestations of tumor in the brainstem are:

• Headaches
• Endocrine problems
• Respiratory changes
• Seizures
• Paralysis of muscles or nerves of the face or half of the body
• Visual changes
• Increase ICP

As for the manifestations of the tumor in the cerebrum, these are:

• Vomiting
• Uncoordinated muscle movements
• Headache
• Problems in walking
• Increase ICP

Always consult a physician whenever symptoms like these are observed in your child.

Cops for Cancer

One of the organizations that give support to cancer patients is the American Cancer Society. Their organization is dedicated towards helping those people who are facing cancer make the most out of their lives and encouraging them to never lose hope. They support the researches about cancer, patient services, early detection of cancer, its treatment and the education not only for cancer patients but for all the people as well.

There are American Cancer Society children programs too. They have pediatric cancer centers and they also provide counseling for children. This is good since having cancer may be a hard part of the life of a child. And there are times when the child cannot understand much of what is happening to him. With the programs that the organization gives, the patient and his family learn how to cope with the diagnosis, seek out options for financial and insurance issues and learn about the proper nutrition that a cancer patient needs.

The pediatric centers that the organizations support are facilities that attend to the needs of children and teens with cancer. These facilities offer their services on pediatric cancer treatment to children from birth up to the age of 18. But there are groups that extend their pediatric treatment up to the age of 21. This type of facility is good because the children are grouped with the other children of the same age. They can understand each other better and find support with each other.

Being diagnosed with cancer is devastating news for the child and his family. Having an organization like this that supports cancer patient is a temporary relief for the suffering heart, mind, body and soul. There are times when we find refuge on people we don’t know. And this is what the organization aims to do –to let cancer patients and their families know that during hard times, they have somebody to lean on.
Cops for Cancer

Parents normally worry about their child’s health especially if the child is feeling unusual. There are some parents who cannot help but jump into conclusions when their children get sick for more than 5-7 days without a good explanation of its cause. A parent should not worry too much and bring the child to the pediatrician instead so that further evaluation and tests can be made.
Childhood cancer is very rare among children. Though there are many types of cancer that mainly occurs on children, the risk of a child having it is fairly low. For the benefit of the parents, here are the signs of cancer in children. Each one of us should know these signs so that we can be aware of what to be worried about and what should be not.
For bone cancers, the common signs are bone pain, weak bones that lead to fractures, inability to movie normally and swelling or tenderness around a one or a joint. With leukemia, the signs to be watched out for are easy bruising, bleeding gums, frequent nose bleeding, swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, weakness, dizziness, paleness, loss of appetite and repeated infections.
For neuroblastoma, the signs are lump in the abdominal area, chest, pelvis and neck, constipation, difficulty urinating, weight loss, stomach pain, bone pain, irritability, difficulty breathing, vision problems and droopy eyelids. Wilm’s tumor has warning signs such as abdominal swelling with or without pain, constipation, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, malaise and fever of unknown origin.
Brain cancers have signs such as balance and walking problems, back pain, excessive thirst and urination, growth retardation, vision problems, headache during the morning or at sleeping time, weakness and clumsiness, persistent vomiting and seizures that are not related to a high temperature.
For rhabdomyosarcoma, the signs to be watched out for are hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, persistent abdominal pain, lump or swelling in the extremities and the groin area, drooping eyelids, protruding eyeball, swelling of the eye and rapid vision changes.
Lymphomas often manifest on children as breathing difficulties, swollen lymph nodes, weakness, unexplained weight loss and swelling of the face. For retinoblastoma, one sign is certain – the cat’s eye reflex.
There are no specific signs that point out generally to cancer. If you observe any of these signs on your child, the important thing is to stay calm, and immediately report the situation to the doctor.

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Children having skin cancer is still considered rare. Children don’t get enough skin damage from the sun yet, which is the major cause of skin cancer in adults. However, today, there has been a small, but significant rise in the occurrence of skin cancer in children. Parents should be aware of this so that precautionary measures can be done to prevent the worse case scenarios that may happen.
The good news for both children and adults is that skin cancer is a visible type of cancer. If it is detected early, then it can be treated timely and eventually it can be cured. The most dangerous type of skin cancer that physicians are worried about is the malignant melanoma. This is the type of skin cancer that can spread inside the body and slowly kill you.
The most significant risk factor for having cancer is the repeated severe exposure to the sun. The damage is added up and increases the risk of skin cancer in the adult years. This is the reason why it is very important to keep the children, especially the small ones, out of the sun. The sun is most damaging from 10am to 3pm.
The exposure to sun is just a risk factor, but the real cause of melanoma in children is still unknown. It is also not yet understood why there are some melanoma that develops on the part of the body which is usually covered and is not exposed to sun at all.
Parents should know the simple things that they can do in order to prevent skin cancer in their children. First, if exposure to the sun is unavoidable, apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. You can apply sunscreen on a regular basis and never be afraid to apply a lot to your skin. You can also make your child wear protective clothing when he or she is outside.
A parent should also know what to report. Moles that are unevenly shaped, has an irregular border, has different colors such as red, white or pink, has a diameter of more than 6mm or about the size of a pencil eraser and moles that change over time in almost any aspect such as color, size or shape should all be reported to the physician if you observe it in your child.

Cops for Cancer

HIV and AIDS are two of the illnesses that greatly alter a child’s life. It has been estimated, last 2009, that 2.5 children in the whole world under the age of 15 are infected with HIV. There is also an average of 370,000 new cases of HIV in children from that same year. These are the children that were born with HIV during that year. The total deaths of children under the age of 15 from AIDS last 2009 had an estimated number of 260,000. A rough estimation of 16.6 million children and adolescents under the age of 18 has lost one or both of their parents to AIDS. There are millions more that are affected by the disease.

AIDS-related illnesses are still one of the leading causes of mortality in the whole world. It has also been projected that these illnesses will still continue to be a cause of premature mortality globally in the coming decades. 90% of the total children who are affected with HIV are from Africa. The transmission to children occurs from being born to a mother who has been affected with the virus. As for the adults, the transmission is usually from heterosexual relationships that involve commercial and transactional sex, and also long-term relationships, including marriage. However, in other regions, HIV mostly affects injecting drug users, sex workers, and men who have intercourse with the men too.

HIV can also be transmitted to children through blood transfusions, injecting drugs and sexual transmission from sexual abuse.

HIV/AIDS can be prevented. For pregnant mothers who have HIV, antiretroviral drugs are administered to the mother before, during and to the baby after birth. Safety precautions are also done when it comes to feeding the baby because the virus can be transmitted through the breast milk. Blood safety is also promoted not only to children but to everyone who needs blood transfusion. Blood is carefully screened before it can become valid for blood transfusion. Meticulous hand washing, proper injecting processes, and proper disposal of needles are also done in order to prevent the spread of the virus. And lastly, HIV/AIDS education is the most effective intervention to prevent the further spread of the infection.

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Cancer of the brain is caused by the uncontrolled growth and multiplication of cells in the brain. In children, there are differences in the prognosis because there are some that can be easily cured through surgical means, while there are some that have a very poor outcome. Finding the best treatment for this type of cancer is confusing because of the differences in prognosis of each child.

The specific cause for the abnormal growth and multiplication of brain cells that causes cancer is yet to be known. The research about the cause of brain cancer shows that the possible causes can be the environmental and genetic factors.

The mass that has formed from the abnormal growth of cells presses the brain, and it can also cause blockage to the normal flow of the spinal fluid. This can result to hydrocephalus. There are a lot of symptoms that can develop and all of these symptoms point to the increase in intracranial pressure. The possible symptoms are seizures, vomiting, poor coordination, slurred speech, weakness of the body or the extremities, difficulty standing and headache. For babies, since their fontanels are not yet closed, the blockage of the normal flow of the spinal fluid can cause a rapid enlargement of the head.

Tests are done in order to diagnose brain cancer in children. If the child indeed has cancer, imaging studies will probably show a brain tumor. More or less the next step towards curing the child is surgery. The tumor that will be removed from the brain will undergo biopsy in order to classify and grade it.

For children who have survived the cancer through surgical procedures, there may be possible problems after. There may be delay in cognitive learning, seizures, growth abnormalities, visual and hearing problems, and hormone deficiencies. There is also the possibility of developing a secondary tumor. Because of these late effects of cancer, a child needs all the understanding and care that a parent can give. Children need support from those people who are around him or her.
Cops for Cancer