Just under half of children with brain tumors have symptoms that affect their vision. Brain tumors either from direct compression of the visual pathway by the tumor or from elevated pressure from increased fluid (hydrocephalus) in the brain. Most children with brain tumors have obstructive hydrocephalus at diagnosis, according to Michael Angelo Huang, M.D., pediatric…
A child who has sudden changes in vision, hearing or speech, or develops balance issues or other symptoms that suggest a possible brain tumor may need to have 3D pictures taken of their brain. “Based on a child’s symptoms and a clinical evaluation, brain imaging is the next step,” said Mustafa Barbour, M.D., pediatric hematologist/oncologist…
Savannah Garner is a trouper. That is the biggest takeaway from the people closest to her. The fifth-grade girl from Louisville has been living with a medical condition for most of her life. Savannah was diagnosed at age 2 1/2, and for eight years, she has undergone treatment at Norton Children’s Hospital and Norton Children’s…
What is low-grade glioma? Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are the most common brain tumors in children. A glioma is a type of tumor that starts in the brain or spinal cord, and low-grade means that the cancer grows at a slower rate. A low-grade glioma begins in the glial cells, which help the neurons in the…
Neuroblastoma is a rare type of childhood cancer that starts in the nerve cells of the sympathetic nervous system, and usually affects infants and children under age 5. The average age of diagnosis is 18 months. Around 800 new cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Neuroblastoma can be difficult to diagnose…
A 2017 study in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology showed that children in Appalachia, a region that spans 13 states including large parts of Eastern Kentucky, are more at risk for a type of pediatric brain tumor called juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA). What is juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma? The study compared how often pediatric brain tumors happened…
In 2016, not long after his fourth birthday, Jameson Milby started having headaches, nausea and vomiting. “I’m one of those moms who calls the doctor for a scrape on the knee, so I made an appointment right away,” said his mother, Angela. The family’s pediatrician, James A. Tavelli, M.D., with Norton Children’s Medical Group –…
Drew Esposito, “Super Drew” to those who know him, spent almost half a year in the Addison Jo Blair Cancer Care Center at Norton Children’s Hospital. When the 5-year-old returned in January, it wasn’t as a patient. This time, he brought a $31,407 check to help the patients who will follow him. Drew gained his…
There is an amount of uncertainty with any type of neurosurgery. Neurosurgeons study a patient’s medical history, current condition, and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to plan for surgery. However, those images can show only so much. Once surgery begins, surgeons may face issues that they couldn’t have anticipated. Now, however,…
Andrea and Barry Smith will never forget April 25, 2018. That’s the day their 18-month-old daughter, Emaleigh, had a computed tomography (CT) scan that threw the family into a tailspin. The Smiths had barely gotten home from the test when the doctor called. Emaleigh had a solid tumor in her chest, near vertebrae — hugging…
Three-year-old Apphia Rosenthal started a regular day last summer eating eggs and chatting with her parents. She was excited about what color glasses she would choose if she needed them (she was thinking something in pink). What her parents weren’t expecting was for Apphia to go from the ophthalmologist, to then have a magnetic resonance…
Brain tumor symptoms in kids will depend on things such as the age of the child and the location of the tumor in the brain. The general symptoms in kids vary, but include: Behavior changes Blurry vision or crossed eyes Drowsiness and fatigue that’s unexplained, even coma Headache Poor balance Seizures Unexplained vomiting or nausea…