5 warning signs of childhood cancer

Cancer represents one of the main causes of mortality in children and adolescents globally. According to the Pan American Health Organization, "every year, cancer is diagnosed in approximately 280,000 children aged 0 to 19 years. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it is estimated that at least 29,000 girls, boys, and adolescents under 19 years of age will be affected by cancer annually. Of these, around 10,000 will die from this disease."

Although these figures may be alarming, it is essential to remember that hope shines through prevention and early detection. Therefore, Dr. Alexandra Perez shares 5 warning signs that may eventually occur and should prompt us to seek medical advice. Each sign, each detail, is an essential piece of the early detection puzzle, a tool that can make a significant difference.

1. Your child starts experiencing persistent headaches that wake them up at night.
2. When your little one walks and experiences balance-related issues.
3. Bone pain, when your child begins to complain of persistent back pain.
4. Long febrile syndromes, when a child begins to have persistent fevers without a clear cause.
5. Abnormal bleeding or hemorrhages or the presence of masses in neck lymph nodes, or other parts of the body, either in the muscles or abdomen.

Any mass you notice in your child, any abnormal bleeding, prolonged fevers, recurrent headaches that wake them up at night, or bone pain. These are warning signs that should prompt you to seek medical advice," says Dr. Alexandra Pérez, Coordinator of Pediatric Oncohematology at the Hospital Internacional de Colombia.

By understanding the warning signs, we are strengthening the bond between prevention and hope, illuminating a path where information becomes the beacon that guides our commitment towards a future free from the shadow of childhood cancer.