Doctors dismissed me as a nervous first time mum when I said my little boy was sick – he was left fighting for his life
WHEN Tessa Crane had health concerns about her son Oscar Crane Rawlinson, she booked him in to see the GP.
He was just seven months old on the first visit, and after that, the first-time mum went back to her GP a further 17 times.
But nursery assistant Tessa, 29, said her concerns were dismissed as her being ‘nervous first-time parent’, and she says she was sent off with anti-anxiety medication.
Finally, after being turned away another time, desperate single mum Tessa took Oscar to her local A&E department.
Within 30 minutes, Oscar was blue-lighted to hospital after being diagnosed with a low-grade but potentially life-threatening brain tumour in April, 2018.
Doctors diagnosed him as having a grade 2 choroid plexus papilloma and a build-up of excess brain fluid, known as hydrocephalus at just eight months old.
Now five, Oscar has undergone 11 brain surgeries but he has been left with permanent brain damage.
He also suffers autism, global developmental delay and decreased muscle tone known as hypotonia.
Tessa, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, is working with the charity Brain Tumour Research to share her story.
She said that Oscar had a dramatic start to life, being born six-weeks early and having been delivered via c-section.
Aside from this, Tessa said he was a generally a ‘happy baby’ but she added that all that changed when he was seven-months-old.
“He became irritable and would cry non-stop. His head was swollen, his eyes were bulging and he was vomiting.
“I took him to the doctor 18 times in one month but was told I was a nervous first-time mum and given medication for anxiety.”
What is a hydrocephalus and what are the signs you must know?
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain, the NHS states.
The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain which can damage it and if left untreated in can be fatal.
The damage to the brain from hydrocephalus can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
- headache
- being sick
- blurred vision
- difficulty walking
Different types of hydrocephalus can cause specific symptoms.
If you are worried about any of your symptoms, see a GP.
Having worked with children in her role as nursery manager, Tessa knew newborns could be challenging but recognised Oscar’s symptoms as more than this.
She said initially, her little boy’s symptoms had been put down to a viral infection, colic and her ‘poor mental health‘.
“I was in bits,” she said.
Tessa then plucked up the courage to go to A&E.
“I figured either Oscar really didn’t like me and I was doing something very wrong, or there was some medical explanation which would be found.”
Within 30 minutes of arriving at the James Paget University Hospital, in Norfolk, Tessa’s worst fears were confirmed.
His first operation, which involved the full removal of his tumour, lasted 12 hours.
Sadly, excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) continued gathering, requiring 10 further surgeries in the space of four months.
At one point, he even had to be put in an induced coma.
Oscar’s surgeon suspected there was a problem with his tubing, but when she went to change it, his head caved in and his skull crumbled in her hand.
The little boy also developed meningitis and his whole head had been full of infection.
“He lost his eyesight completely for a while and he lost feeling in the left-hand side of his body.
“He had to be tube-fed and couldn’t move or sit; it was like he had reverted to being a newborn baby again.”
Now, Tessa said Oscar is exceeding all expectations.
“He’s a little chatterbox now – what he says doesn’t make sense but it’s fantastic to hear him,” she said.
Brain tumours kill more children than leukaemia and any other cancer yet, historically, just 1 per cent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
Tessa, who is sharing her story during Brain Tumour Awareness month, said: “The four months Oscar spent on a children’s cancer ward opened my eyes to this disease and made me want to do all I can to raise awareness of it.
“The fact there’s still no cure for it amazes me and it’s so wrong that treatments for brain tumours haven’t changed in years.
“I’m keen for more people to understand brain tumours and their symptoms, including medical professionals, and I want to empower parents to trust their instincts.
“If, like me, you believe there’s something wrong with your child, don’t give up – you know them best and you know if they’re not themselves.”
Charlie Allsebrook, of Brain Tumour Research, said: “Oscar’s story serves as an important reminder for parents to trust their instincts and not be afraid to seek second opinions if they believe something is wrong with their child.
“It’s fantastic to hear about the improvements Oscar has made recently.
“We congratulate Tessa for being brave enough to speak out and wish them both the very best for the future.”