Symptoms of cancer in children – Older people played an important role in recognizing and treating cancer in children. Do not let the delay of recognizing cancer in children is fatal.
It’s known, late diagnosis often occurs because the child cannot yet deliver the complaint appropriately. The case of childhood cancer is often found in the advanced stage.
Supposedly, by alerting for easily recognizable signs and symptoms, the child’s cancer can be found in an earlier stage so that proper treatment can be cured. It is important for parents to recognize the symptoms of cancer in children.
Cancer is a condition of the cells had lost control of its normal mechanisms resulting in abnormal, rapid, and uncontrolled growth. The cancer cells will continue to divide (multiplication) without following faal (function) a normal body.
The types of child cancers namely leukemia, retinoblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, malignant lymphoma, osteosarcoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Common childhood cancer symptoms
Cancers detected earlier will be easier to treat and have a greater chance of recovery. Here are the symptoms of cancer in children that should not be ignored, namely:
Bleeding Without A Clear Cause
From the Cancer Research UK page, bleeding without cause is one of the main symptoms of cancer. Nosebleeds are a type of bleeding that often experienced children with cancer.
The appearance of this bleeding occurs because the blood vessels in the front of the nose are still too thin. If your child’s nose often bleeds at least 4-5 times a month, it could be a symptom of cancer. Be careful, you’d better check it out to the doctor immediately.
Wounds That Never Heal
Most children are active in activities, especially when they play. In fact, sometimes they can get injured while playing. However, if they have wounds and never heal, you have to check the wound with a doctor. Because, it is possible that the wound is a warning of cancer symptoms in the child.
Enlargement of Lymph Nodes
Enlargement of the lymph nodes can be a symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer. Swelling can occur in the neck, armpits, groin, chest, abdomen, or other parts of the body that have lymph nodes.
Lose Weight For No Apparent Reason
If the child suddenly loses weight when there is no change to his food menu or he is not undergoing a specific exercise program, please check with the doctor immediately.
Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing in a child can be a sign of a serious illness. As much as 40 percent of early signs of leukemia in a child are shortness of breath.
The presence of lumps on the body
Other symptoms of cancer are the presence of lumps in the abdomen or even unusual places. The swelling that appears in the abdomen can be an indication of Wilms’ tumor, a kidney cancer that can occur in early childhood.
Behavior changes
Be ware if the child suddenly behaves inappropriately. Because it could be a sign something’s wrong. Changes in behavior, personality and achievement in school, it can also be a symptom of cancer in children.
Headaches
A sedentary headache can be a sign of a tumor in the brain. Headaches occur due to the increased pressure of lumps on the skull; whereas the skull bone is a skeletal bone that cannot enlarge.
Frequent vomiting
Vomiting in children occurs for many causes, such as food poisoning, severe cough and/or flu, or stomach flu. But NCSS also mentions that cancers that attack the brain can also cause vomiting in children.
Therefore, if the child is often nauseous and takes back what he eats and drinks, consult a doctor immediately; because it could be, it’s not a regular stomach problem.
Vision problems
NCCS adds the appearance of visual impairments such as blurred, double, or even missing vision, it can also be an indicator of brain tumors
If the child shows signs of problematic vision that are difficult to overcome, it may be time for Parents consult a specialist for early detection of the childhood cancer.
Symptoms of cancer in children based on the type
Leukemia
On leukemia, the symptoms experienced by children are pale, fever without a clear reason, bleeding skin, bone pain and lethargy.
Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is one of the symptoms of cancer in children.
Symptoms of retinoblastoma are squint, bulging of the eye, red eyes, enlarged corneas, inflammation of the eyeball tissue and blurred vision.
Neuroblastoma
In neuroblastoma, symptoms in the form of bluish around the eyes and a lump in the abdomen.
Malignant lymphoma
Malignant lymphoma can be marked with bumps (more than 2 cm) painlessly, and quickly enlarged, shortness of breath, fever and weak and lethargic.
Osteosarcoma
The symptoms of osteosarcoma cancer may be bone pain (at night) after the activity as well as swelling, redness and pain at the site of pain. Then the occurrence of fractures after a routine activity, even without trauma, as well as the limited movement on the affected part of the cancer.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
The nasopharyngeal carcinoma symptoms include mucus mixed blood, nosebleeds, and nasal congestion. Then the ear feels full, buzzed and pain in the ear. Other symptoms are double vision and enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck.
If parents suspect his son was suffering from cancer with these symptoms, it is quickly taken to the hospital, clinic or other health facility. Do not underestimate.
Until now the cause of cancer in a child is still in the research phase so the doctors and experts were not been able to verify it. But clearly, in general, cancer has associated with genetic or hereditary factors. Associated also with environmental factors, such as ciga**rette smo**ke, pollution and radiation.
Radiation is assumed to have an important role in the onset of cancer because it is part of the environmental factors. Radiation that does not mean it should be from electronic goods or from radioactive rays. Read also Health Effects of Toxic Chemicals in Your Home.
The next factor is certain infections in children, such as viral and bacteria infections, which cause the child changed his nature becomes diseased with cancer. The other variable is the habit, pattern or lifestyles, like smo**king, eating instant foods, lack of exercise, unbalanced food, lack of rest and so on.
Thank you very much for reading Symptoms of cancer in children, hopefully useful. Do not forget to read How to cure cancer?
