Headache reveals large tumour in four-year old

Abu Dhabi: Headaches in young children are almost often a sign of something more worrisome. And when Ahmad Nabeel found his four-year-old son complaining of one, he rushed him to the hospital.

The timely visit earlier this week revealed a malignant tumour the size of an orange lurking in Zeyad Nabeel’s head.

“Parents must remember to never ignore headaches in children. They are rare in nature, and can often indicate tumours and other serious illnesses, as in Zeyad’s case,” Dr Mahmoud Farid, specialist neurosurgeon at LLH Hospital in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News.

Zeyad had also been suffering from disturbed sleep, difficulty in walking, and pain in the right side of his body.

Dr Farid, who attended to Zeyad, decided there was a need for immediate treatment and surgery as the tumour, which measured about 8cm x 7cm x 5cm, was found to be aggressive.

“These kinds of tumours could occur in children between the ages of three and 15 years. They create a lot of pressure on the brain as they grow, which leads to the headaches. And without immediate treatment, they can be fatal,” he explained.

A small hole or shunt was immediately created to relieve the pressure on the brain. After three days, when the pressure had dropped sufficiently, a sensitive surgery was undertaken to remove the tumorous growth from the cavity at the back of the skull.

“The procedure was risky because it was near a part of the brain that could result in permanent paralysis or loss of consciousness. We were very worried, especially as our lively young boy had become so tired and distressed as a result of the growth,” Nabeel, 32, an architect from Egypt, said.

The procedure was, however, successful in removing most of the malignant tissue.

“Zeyad must now undergo about two months of chemotherapy, and follow up with us every six months for the next five years to ensure that the tumour is not back,” Dr Farid said.

“The fact that his parents brought him to the hospital as soon as they noticed these symptoms was most important in saving his life,” he added.