What Are The First Signs Of Cancer In A Child: Childhood cancer is less common than other cancers, but it is not as rare as is commonly thought. There are approximately 50,000 to 75,000 new childhood cancer cases in India every year, of which leukemia and lymphoma are the major ones. The good thing is that with timely identification and treatment, more than 80 percent of children have a chance of recovery. The real challenge is to identify the early signs in time. Let us tell you what Dr. says about this.
What needs to be done?
Dr. Shravan Kumar Bodepudi, Manipal Hospital, Vijayawada Many childhood cancers start with very mild and seemingly normal symptoms. Long lasting fever, constant fatigue or small lump on the body, all these are often dismissed as normal diseases. Sometimes proper diagnosis and treatment is delayed for weeks or months, especially in areas where health facilities are limited. If parents remain alert and take the signs seriously, treatment can be started early.
Which symptoms need to be taken care of?
Dr. Shravan explains that if any symptom persists for more than two weeks or returns repeatedly, then do not ignore it. Seeing a lump or swelling in the neck, armpit or stomach without any reason, frequent nose bleeding, bleeding gums or the appearance of small red spots on the skin can be warnings. Persistent fever, frequent infections, unusual fatigue, unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite are also signs. Pain in bones or joints, due to which the child limps or complains of pain at night, should also be taken seriously. Vomiting with headache in the morning, problems with vision or balance, swelling in the stomach or pale face, all these demand investigation. White glow seen in the eyes in photographs may be a sign of a rare eye tumor. It is not necessary that every symptom is cancer, but it is not right to ignore them.
What should you do?
Leukemia often presents with fever, fatigue, pallor and easy bruising. In lymphoma, hard and growing lumps are seen in the neck or armpits. Brain tumors may be associated with morning headaches and balance problems, while some solid tumors appear as a swelling or lump in the abdomen. If the child’s symptoms persist or increase, contact the doctor immediately. Simple blood tests and imaging may provide early clues.
