What If My Child’s Pediatric Brain Tumor Was Misdiagnosed Which Led To A Delay In Treatment?

Early detection and intervention is widely recognized as crucial to the successful treatment of cancers and tumors of all types, including pediatric brain tumors. But what happens when your child’s brain tumor was misdiagnosed and treatment was delayed? Are there actions families can take? How does a family move forward once the mistake is realized?

Diagnosing A Child With A Brain Tumor

Childhood brain tumors are the third most common type of childhood cancer, after leukemias and lymphomas. Brain tumors can be tricky to diagnose since so many of the symptoms can have other causes. Parents are often the first to notice that something is “off” about their child. Children with brain tumors can exhibit a variety of symptoms including:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Balance problems
• Cognitive difficulties
• Memory problems
• Numbness in the arms and legs

Symptoms are often dependent on the size and location of the tumor. What may start out as frequent headaches can expand to include other symptoms as the tumor grows. Childhood tumors often appear in different locations and look and behave differently than tumors found in adults. For that reason alone, it’s important to consult a physician who has specific experience in diagnosing and treating pediatric brain tumors. Without a prompt and proper diagnosis, a child’s health is on the line.

If your child is exhibiting unusual symptoms or behaviors, especially several at one time, make an appointment with your pediatrician and ask for an MRI or CT scan right away.

Orlando attorney Bill Ruffier has succeeded in protecting patients and their families and has extensive expertise in pediatric brain tumor cases. He suggests the following: “As a parent, if you have a suspicion, be persistent with your child’s doctor. Don’t give up. You know your child best and must advocate for an accurate diagnosis.”

How Brain Tumor Misdiagnosis Occurs

Brain tumor misdiagnosis can occur in several ways.

1. The physician dismisses the symptoms as indicative of another condition.
2. The physician fails to order MRI or CT scans.
3. The physician incorrectly interprets MRI or CT Scan results.

The end result in any of these situations is brain tumor delayed treatment.

Orlando Brain Tumor Attorney Offers Help For Families

Families who are dealing with brain tumor delayed treatment as a result of misdiagnosis are understandably frightened, angry, and overwhelmed. Orlando attorney Bill Ruffier of Dellecker Wilson King McKenna Ruffier and Sos is here to help. If you believe your child has suffered due to misdiagnosis of a brain tumor, there’s a chance you have a medical malpractice case. Obtaining a settlement for such a case with the help of a lawyer can help minimize the financial strain that medical treatments and time off from work are having on your family.

Contact Bill Ruffier at 407-244-3000 to discuss your situation and see if our Central Florida lawyer can help you with your case.