Commonly known as a ‘silent killer’ cancer can be very difficult to deal with when it comes to children. But way before that, it is more important to be able to identify cancer.
Children all over the world are suffering from a number of cancers. But to recognize it properly, it is essential to know the early signs of cancer in kids.
What are these signs and how does a child identify them? Well. don’t worry, there are some specific types of cancer that attack children more as compared to adults. These can be leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastomas, and spinal cord tumors.
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Identifying Childhood Cancer Signs
It is difficult to catch the early signs of cancer in children, as most of the signs are quite similar to injuries and common illnesses.
Children are often seen getting ill and sick due to some common conditions. Some injuries and bruises often mask the real symptoms of cancer.
If you ever see unusual bruises or any kind of injury that doesn’t usually happen, then keep an eye on your child as there can be hidden signs of cancer in kids. Most of the symptoms of cancer in children include,
- Night sweats
- Fever
- Frequent infections
- Headaches
- Vomiting
Now all of these also occur on and off when a child is sick. Some of the questions that you need to ask yourself include:
- How bad are the symptoms?
- For how long do the symptoms last?
- Do the signs continue to get worse?
Well, if you don’t have any idea about the signs and symptoms, then make sure you keep on reading.
Signs of Cancer in Babies
When we talk about cancer in babies, the major signs to look for include:
- Swelling in any part of body
- Tummy (abdominal) pain
- Pain that wakes up the baby
- Unexplained seizures
- Drastic change in the mod and behavior
Signs of Cancer in Toddlers
Toddler cancer symptoms are not alot different then the signs of cancer in babies. The most common ones although are:
- Feeling tired all the time
- Unexplained vomiting
- Drastic weight loss
- Bony pain and back pain that doesn’t go away
- Short of breath
- High temperature or sweating
- Persistent abdominal swelling and pain
- Frequent infections and flu-like symptoms
Signs of Cancer in Teens
Cancers are often found in the later stages in teens. The reason being, most teens are healthy and do not visit the doctor until they really want to. But the most common cancer signs in teens that can help you in early diagnosis of cancer are:
- Sudden changes in vision
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in one part of the body (usually ongoing)
- A new spot or mole on the body that changes in size or shape
- Easy Bruising
- Loss of energy and extreme tiredness
- Unusual lump and swelling
Common Signs of Cancer in Kids
Some of the common symptoms that can be seen in babies, toddlers, and teens must also be taken in consideration.
Vomiting that Doesn’t Stop
Vomiting that lasts more than 7 days and gets pretty bad at night or when your child wakes up is one of the biggest signs of cancer in kids. It is even worse when vomiting is also linked with a headache.
Now, in children, if the headaches or the migraines continue to get poorer with time, it is a wake-up call for you as a parent. If they become more frequent or sharper then it is also one of the biggest childhood cancer signs.
Vomiting and headaches are most commonly known as symptoms of cancer and brain tumors. But other signs that also cause brain tumors are called seizures, sudden changes in personality, and even trouble walking.
A Surprising Pain in Muscles and Joints
If your kid feels pain in the bones or in the muscles even when there is no injury and you see no improvement seen, then you might have a problem.
The type of pain felt is quite different from the common pains that are known as ‘growing pains.’ During these growing pains, the child is observed getting up at night and the pain is not at a specific spot.
Talking about pain, chronic pain is felt in the back of the child can be one of the most common signs of cancer in kids. And if these pains don’t let your child perform daily activities, then they indicate a spinal cord cancer or a spinal cord tumor.
A Swollen Gland
If your child has a swollen gland that isn’t going anywhere and is staying on the skin even after weeks then get alert. In older teens, a swollen gland should be a sign of worry.
This happens especially when the swollen gland is observed more in one part of the body and not more than one. Sometimes, there are other signs that can come with a swollen gland such as persistent weight loss, and fever.
Even when these symptoms don’t come along with other signs, it is still something to be concerned about.
Sudden Weight Loss
One of the first and early signs of cancer in kids is weight loss. And a lot of times, it is observed that children lack interest in daily activities and lose their appetite as well.
Weight loss is also one of the red flags as children are not noticed losing so much weight all of a sudden or during a shorter period of time. In case of acute injury or illness such as an injury or an infection, it is often seen that children lose 2 to 3 pounds. This type of weight, if lost, can easily be gained back.
But, in the case of cancer, the weight that is lost doesn’t really recover soon. In fact, the weight keeps dropping when the treatment starts and continues. This happens due to strong medication and chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Wrapping it Up!
To recognize the early signs of cancer in kids, it is important to keep a close look at the changes that may occur in your child’s body. Make sure to give them good food options that might help them in recovering in case they have cancer. But the best step that you can take is to visit the doctor as soon as you feel like there is something wrong with your kid.
If you further have queries and questions, then make sure you visit the best pediatric oncologist near you by visiting Healthwire.pk.
