Childhood Brain Tumors Summary Brain tumors are abnormal growths inside the skull. They are among the most common types of childhood cancers. Some are benign tumors, which aren’t cancer. They can still be serious. Malignant tumors are cancerous. Childhood brain and spinal cord tumors can cause headaches and other symptoms. However, other conditions can also cause the same symptoms. Check with a doctor if your child has any of the following problems: Morning headache or headache that goes away after vomiting Frequent nausea and vomiting Vision, hearing, and speech problems Loss of balance or trouble walking Unusual sleepiness Personality changes Seizures Increased head size in infants The symptoms are not the same in every child. Doctors use physical and neurological exams, lab tests, and imaging to diagnose brain tumors. Most childhood brain tumors are diagnosed and removed in surgery. Treatment for children is sometimes different than for an adult. Long-term side effects are an important issue. The options also depend on the type of tumor and where it is. Removal of the tumor is often possible. If not, radiation, chemotherapy, or both may be used. NIH: National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Start Here Adolescent and Pediatric Brain Tumors American Brain Tumor Association Brain Tumors (For Parents) Nemours Foundation General Information about Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors National Cancer Institute What Are Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Children? American Cancer Society Encyclopedia After chemotherapy – discharge Brain surgery – discharge Eating extra calories when you are sick – children Head MRI Stereotactic radiosurgery – discharge Find an Expert American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute Array Brain surgery Brain tumor – children Craniotomy – slideshow Statistics and Research Cancer in Children and Adolescents National Cancer Institute Survival Rates for Selected Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors American Cancer Society What’s New in Research and Treatment for Brain Tumors in Children? American Cancer Society Treatments and Therapies Chemotherapy (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Radiation Therapy (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Treatment of Newly Diagnosed and Recurrent Childhood Brain Tumors National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Brain Stem Glioma Treatment) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Central Nervous System Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Craniopharyngioma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Ependymoma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Childhood Astrocytomas National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Childhood Brain Stem Glioma National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Childhood Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors and Childhood Pineoblastoma National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Childhood Craniopharyngioma National Cancer Institute Specifics Childhood Craniopharyngioma National Cancer Institute Choroid Plexus American Brain Tumor Association General Information about Childhood Ependymoma National Cancer Institute General Information About Childhood Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors National Cancer Institute General Information about Childhood Astrocytomas National Cancer Institute General Information about Childhood Brain Stem Glioma National Cancer Institute General Information about Childhood Central Nervous System Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor National Cancer Institute General Information about Childhood Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors National Cancer Institute Medulloblastoma — Childhood American Society of Clinical Oncology Living With Children with Cancer: A Guide for Parents National Cancer Institute Follow-Up Treatment and Rehabilitation Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation Parents Who Have a Child with Cancer National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain Neoplasms National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Childhood Brain Tumors National Institutes of Health Videos and Tutorials Closure of Dural Defects after Tumor Resection: Effective Use of Sealants and Collagen Duraplasty OR-Live Reference Desk Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute Diagnosis and Tests How Are Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Children Diagnosed? American Cancer Society Stages of Childhood Astrocytomas National Cancer Institute Stages of Childhood Brain Stem Glioma National Cancer Institute Staging Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors National Cancer Institute Staging Childhood Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors National Cancer Institute Ultrasound: Head (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Related Issues Palliative Care CureSearch for Children’s Cancer Journal Articles Childhood Brain Tumors Patient Handouts Understanding Chemotherapy National Cancer Institute Prevention and Risk Factors What Are the Risk Factors for Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Children? American Cancer Society
