Signs of childhood cancer every parent must know after worrying new research
A new study has revealed that most parents aren't aware of key symptoms of cancer in children.
Research published in the British Medical Journal found that 68 per cent of British adults could not confidently identifying the important signs to look out for. Less than half were able to list the common symptoms despite approaching 4,000 new cases being diagnosed in people under the age of 24 every year in the UK alone.
Co-author of the study Dr Shaarna Shanmugavadivelia says the least recognised symptoms were early or late puberty, a developmental delay in infants and also slow growth. There are of course many things to look out for, including persistent and recurrent headaches, difficulty swallowing and regular vomiting.
Weight loss is another red flag, with a change in bowel habits and blood in urine and a young person struggling to walk or balance requiring a visit to the doctor. During the study, it was found that 43 per cent of those asked said they would wait before seeking medial advice.
"Symptoms of the disease in children often mimic other common ailments, and given that screening tests aren't currently available, public and professional awareness to ensure early diagnosis and treatment is essential." Dr Shanmugavadivelia, of Nottingham University's School of Medicine, said. "Awareness has been marked as a key strategy for early cancer diagnosis in the UK, but there has been little focus on childhood cancers.
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"Perceived rarity of cancer in children is a key barrier to early diagnosis. While the number of cases may be small compared with adult cancers, the cumulative risk from birth to early adulthood is comparable to that of other childhood illnesses. This needs to be communicated with the public, as parents usually associate common symptoms with common childhood ailments, but not cancer."
The study showed that the most recognised symptoms included a lump or swelling in the pelvis, testicle or breast and also blood after a visit to the toilet. Changes to moles with lumps, swelling in the chest and weight loss already picked up on the most.
Symptoms of cancer in children
1. Lump, swelling in pelvis, testicle or breast
2. Blood in urine
3. Changes to moles
4. Lump in chest or armpits
5. Weight loss
6. Tummy pain or mass
7. Lump or swelling in face, jaw or scull
8. Persistent/recurrent headache
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9. Persistent/recurrent tiredness
10. Loss of appetite
11. Persistent vomiting
12. Excessive bleeding/bruising/rash
13. Seizure/fits
14. Pain in chest wall or armpits
15. Unexplained bone or joint swelling/pain
16. A change in bowel habits: constipation or diarrhoea
17. Persistent or recurrent tummy pain
18. Difficulty passing urine
19. Vision issues
20. Swollen glands in the side of neck
21. Struggling to walk or balance
22. Persistent recurrent bone pain (worse at night)
23. Noticeable skin paleness
24. Multiple bounds of flu
25. Unexplained bleeding between periods
26. Fever and night sweats
27. Shortness of breath
28. Difficulty swallowing
29. Unexplained weak/limp leg
30. Parental instinct something is wrong
31. Unexplained screaming in young children
32. Recurrent sore throat
33. Head tilt/sore neck
34. One or two white pupils
35. Hearing loss
36. Abnormal eye movements
37. Abnormal facial movements
38. Persistent earache
39. Limited mouth opening
40. Slow in recovery after bone injury
41. Developmental delay
42. Early or late puberty
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