4 year old signs on brain tumor help please

[helplessmommy1205]

Hi. I am a mother if three beautiful kids. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with bells palsy yesterday both in her mouth and eye on the right side. After talkin to the doctor I was informed that its very rare for children her age to get this and when it does happen it might be because of a greater cause. One of the causes was a brain tumor and I'm so scared after looking over the symptoms that this might be possible. For the better part of her life getting her to eat without gagging has been been difficult. Almost every meal she gags or vomits. But I always thought It was because she didn't want to eat because she's always saying she's not hungry. She also is the most clumsey child in the world. She trips and falls over her own shadow countless times daily. She has no cordination whatsoever. Her legs hurt atleast two times a week when she goes to bed and i have to give her some motrin or tylenol to help her sleep. She doesn't concintrate on anything.. Its so hard to get her to pay attention to anything. And last when I was pregnant with her the doctor found what he thought was a tumor or cyst on her brain but in the follow up ultrasound there wasn't any sign of it that he saw. Please can someone let me know if any of this makes sense. I'm having such a hard time as it is with the bells palsy my baby doesn't even look the same. I need to know if I am on the rite track here and I want to get every possible bad outcome ruled out. I'm not a doctor but it seems to me like my baby girl might have a brain tumor. Please help me I am desprate for answers and oppinions. Thank you so much I appreciate any feedback. God bless you all and have a wonderful day.

[rumpled]

MRIs - head ones - can be a bit scary - as you are in a tube for quite a while and you have to be still for up to 45 minutes. They also put a mask that is something like a darth vader/hockey mask over your face that has a mirror so you can see the tech. They put on headphones but the noise precludes hearing much once the machine gets going. If you go the MRI route you may ask that she be sedated or at least given an anti-anxiety medication so she will be calm and the whole procedure can be done. I have done many (20+) but even adults have problems with the MRI. Then there is the issue of contrast - MRI contrast is typically pretty benign few have allergies you just have to have her drink a lot of flush her kidneys after.

Nerve type issues would need different testing.

What did the doctor say?

[helplessmommy1205]

Thanks so much I got her a earlier apt today. I will insist that she orders one. I'm so scared I'm my mind I always think the worst in every case but this time all the warning signs are there and I'm just in pieces thinking this could really be happening. I will give a update after her apt at 3:30 thanks so much for taking time to help me.

[Iloveallchildren]

This is my opinion--- a MRI will give you the diagnosis, period!!!  
The ER Dr could've ordered the MRI, but as it almost always goes, they order a paediatric "office" appointment where they'll order urine & labs and possibly other tests, but insist on a order for a MRI too! If not, time is wasted and your child is still sick or sicker!

[rumpled]

Sadly, an ER is just no a place for diagnosis for most things. It is great for heart attacks and car accidents, but not for anything complex.  So your pediatrician must take a history, do an exam and start to rule things in and out.

There are cysts that can form from birth like arachnoid cysts, and depending on the location it can have different symptoms. Since there are so many possibilities and I am not a doc, it is rather hard to speculate. Once the doc has started to hone in on something, and tests have been done, it will be easier to know - but I agree it is horrible in the mean time for the wait.

I do advise to get copies - it really helps to know. I know in my case as well I was told things were ok, and when I got my tests, I found out differently, years later!

Hopefully he will at least order some imaging (MRI?) to see if all is ok. It will be hard for her to stay still so he may do a CT as it is faster.

[helplessmommy1205]

I found all this out at the er. Her Dr apt with the pediatrician is wed. I'm just so scared they havnt done any test yet but us there certain questions I should ask or certain teatsbi should ask for? Thank you for your response.

[rumpled]

I am so sorry to hear about your child!

What tests have your doctor run, and have you gotten copies? It may be rare, but he is still obligated to rule out the common issues and then move on until he/she finds the cause of the issue.

There can also be nerve issues - like myasthenia gravis or something, not a tumor, or even hormonal issues.