A LITTLE boy has died after doctors misdiagnosed his brain tumour for a tummy bug.
At just eight years old, Isaiah Jarrett, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumour, following bouts of extreme vomiting.
Brain Tumour ResearchYoung Isaiah Jarrett in hospital for radiotherapy[/caption]
Isaiah’s mum Dena is determined to continuing raising awareness of the diseaseBrain Tumour Research
Brain Tumour ResearchIsaiah in hospital after brain surgery[/caption]
Reflecting back to when she heard the news, Dena, a mum-of-seven, from Birmingham, UK said: “My mind went blank and I fell to my knees.
“I thought it could have been something to do with his belly, never in a million years did I expect to be told my little boy had a brain tumour.”
Doctors initially thought Isaiah’s illness could’ve been gastroenteritis.
But after five weeks of vomiting blood, Isaiah underwent a CT scan at Birmingham Children’s Hospital where it was revealed he had a golf ball sized mass on his brain.
Medulloblastoma is the second most common brain tumour in children.
It causes about 10 per cent of all childhood cancer deaths.
It starts in or near what is called the cerebellum, an area in the brain that controls motor skills, and can spread to other parts of the brain or spinal cord.
Dena, 36 said: “Isaiah suffered with swelling and a build-up of fluid which meant he had seven surgeries in total, all of which I was told could kill him.”
One 15 hour surgery, which took place near part of the brain which controls speech, left the little boy without a voice.
“I never heard Isaiah’s voice again – he eventually learned to communicate though gestures and murmurs,” his mum said.
The schoolboy underwent gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment but sadly the cancer had spread and Isaiah died July 20 2022.
“Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong,” his mum explained.
Statistics provided by charity Brain Tumour Research show brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer.
However, just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to brain tumours.
Dena is determined to raise awareness of the disease and help in the fight against brain tumours.
Since her son’s death, Dena, joined the charity as a campaigner and is aiming to complete 10,000 Steps a Day in February to fundraise.
“No other family should have to go through the heartache and pain of losing a loved one”, Dena said.
“We need to fully understand them to be able to provide better treatment and eventually a cure to stop anyone else from suffering from this cruel disease.”
The 7 signs of a brain tumour in children you should never ignore
Your child might have symptoms for a few weeks or months before they are diagnosed with a brain tumour. Symptoms might include:
headaches in the morning
feeling or being sick – being sick often makes the headaches feel better
double vision
finding it hard to sit or stand unsupported – your child might often fall backwards
being more fractious or irritable – it might be taking longer than usual to get your young child to settle
loss of appetite
behaviour changes – they might be interacting with you or their siblings less
Source: Cancer Research UK