Summary
- Penang Hospital specialists urged parents to seek medical attention when children show persistent or unusual symptoms.
- Warning signs include recurring fever, unusual tiredness, persistent headaches, unexplained bruising, swelling and sudden changes in activity.
- Childhood cancers differ from adult cancers, with leukemia among the most common types seen in children.
- Doctors said early diagnosis can improve treatment outcomes and stressed that parents should give doctors a complete history of recurring symptoms.
GEORGE TOWN, September 7 — Parents should seek medical attention early when children develop persistent or unusual symptoms that could indicate serious illness, paediatric cancer specialists said Sunday.
Speaking at a CRISO childhood cancer awareness programme, Dr Ang Ming Ping and Dr Shoba Anne Thomas highlighted warning signs including recurring fever, unexplained bruising, persistent headaches, unusual fatigue, swelling and changes in normal activity.
They said childhood cancers differ from adult cancers and can include leukemia, brain tumours, neuroblastoma, lymphoma and retinoblastoma. Early diagnosis can improve treatment prospects.
While parents were encouraged to provide doctors with a complete history of recurring symptoms rather than delaying examination or relying solely on alternative treatments.
