September being Childhood Cancer Awareness month, it is time to pay some attention to a topic most of us find too difficult to think about. The idea of a child suffering as scary and life-threatening an illness as cancer is distressing to say the least. However, doctors and researchers agree that educating ourselves on the symptoms of cancer in children helps in early detection, which can make all the difference in the chances of curing a child of cancer, and in reducing the repercussions of treatment.
According to CANSA, between 800 and 1000 South African children are diagnosed with cancer each year, and many cases are believed to go undetected where healthcare providers are ill-equipped to identify it. The good news, however, is that, “if detected early, most children can be treated successfully”.
What should we look out for? Well, the early warning signs of childhood cancer are, unfortunately, a lot like the symptoms of many harmless childhood illnesses. It is their persistence and/or unusual nature that should sound alarms. As the Cancer Research UK website warns, many of these symptoms are not usually signs of cancer, but you should see a doctor if your child has any of these:
- Unable to wee or, blood in the wee
- An unexplained lump or firmness anywhere on the body
- Swollen glands (sides of the neck)
- Persistent back pain
- Persistent unexplained tiredne
- Unexplained seizures or changes in behaviour or vision
- Frequent bruising
- Persistent headache
They suggest you also see a doctor if you notice:
- Persistent abdominal pain or swelling
- Frequent infections or flu-like symptom
- Low appetite or unexplained weight lo
- Unexplained vomiting
- Unexplained sweating or fever
- Changed in appearance of eyes or unusual eye reflections in photo
As this last point indicates, the eyes offer clues as to the presence of disease. An eye test can reveal a number of health issues, including the rare but serious cases of cancer in both adults and children. Spec-Savers recommends that children are given their first eye test at 3 years of age.
If you or someone close to you faces the life-changing news of childhood cancer in your own family, there are organisations who can help relieve some of your burden. The CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa does invaluable work in providing access to accurate information as well as emotional and practical support to families affected by this scourge.
Spec-Savers endorses this foundation in particular, and we have created a means for our clients to make a contribution towards CHOC through supporting our Charity Cloths initiative. When you purchase one of our colourful spectacle cleaning cloths, we make a donation towards a particular charity – the pink cloth goes towards CHOC.
Spec-Savers is also involved in the Relay for Life, a fun overnight walk held in cities throughout the world, where relay participants representing their companies raise funds for local cancer organisations. Cancer survivors and caregivers are invited as VIP guests and celebrated for their strength, while loved ones lost to the disease are remembered during a moving candle-lighting ceremony.
Date Published: 28 August 2015
