Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Symptoms

 

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas are usually highly aggressive (rapidly growing) in a somewhat small area controlling a lot of different functions of the body, thus most children will have a relatively short duration (median 1 month) of symptoms prior to diagnosis.

Individual children with diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas may experience symptoms differently.  Common symptoms may include:

• speech problems (dysarthria)
• swallowing  difficulty (dysphagia)
• abnormal eye movements (nystagmus)
• an eye that is turned inward (6th nerve palsy)
• double vision
• a facial droop
• hearing loss
• weakness on one side of the body (hemiparesis)
• wobbly, unsteady gait
• difficulty doing normal activities such as getting dressed, tying shoes,  brushing teeth and a decline in school performance

In addition, some children will develop hydrocephalus (build up of fluid pressure in the brain) because of the tumor compression.  Symptoms of hydrocephalus may include:

• headache (generally upon awakening in the morning)
• vomiting
• fatigue

The symptoms of a brain tumor may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis.

Last update July 2008