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What Is The Treatment For Pineal Gland Tumor In Children?
Question: I AM WRITING REGARDING MY 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. SHE STARTED WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A VIRUS IE:MONO. THIS WAS IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR. SHE CONTINUED TO SPIRAL DOWNWARD WITH ONE HEALTH ISSUE AFTER ANOTHER. SHE STARTED WITH ORTHOSTATIC TACHYCARDIC SYNDROME. THEN THEY DIAGNOSED HER WITH POTS AT LUCILLE SALTER CHILDRENS HOSPITAL AT STANFORD. THEN SHE WAS HAVING SEVERE SLEEP ISSUES. HER CIRCADIAN RYTHYM HAS CRASHED. THEN SHE SAW A SLEEP SPECIALIST AT STANFORD WHO DIAGNOSED SLEEP APNEA AND OTHER SLEEP COMPL;ICATIONS. THEY RECOMMENDED TAKING HER TONSILS AND ADNOIDS OUT. THEN SHE STARTED LOSING WEIGHT. SHE HAS LITTLE TO NO APPETITE. SHE IS DIZZY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY. IT HAS CRIPPLED HER TO THE POINT THAT SHE IS UNABLE TO LEAVE OUR HOME EXCEPT FOR DOCTOR APPTS AND PT. SHE HAS SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT AND HER RIGHT EYE IS NOT TRACKING WITH HER LEFT EYE. SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HER MUSCLES WHERE LIFTING HER ARM CAUSES IT TO GO NUMB. WE HAD AN MRI 3 WEEKS AGO AND FINALLY RECEIVED THE RESULTS. SHE HAS A VERY LARGE PINIAL CYST. THE NEUROLOGIST SUGGESTED PUTTING HER ON A MOOD STABILIZER DUE TO THE LENGTH AND JOURNEY AHEAD. MY QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? SHE IS GOING TO SEE AN EDOCRONOLOGIST IN A WEEK OR SO. WE ARE ON DOCTOR NO. 8 AND WE HAVE MADE NO PROGRESS IN RETURNING HER TO HER LIFE. WE WANT OUR DAUGHTER TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL, SPORTS, FRIENDS AND LIFE. BUT WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING ANSWERS THAT TURN IN TO ACTIONS THAT WILL GET US TO OUR GOAL. ALOT TO TAKE IN I KNOW. BUT I AM DISPARATE TO HELP MY POOR CHILD.
Brief Answer:
good prognosis is expected
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to XXXXXXX
Your daughter has all above symptoms due to Pineal Gland tumor. I understand your concern, and it is true that as Pineal gland diseases are not so common, it takes time to Diagnose. As a general rule, Doctors first have to think about more common diseases. Now as it is confirmed large pineal cyst, we can correlate all her symptoms due to Pineal cysts, and its pressure on the surrounding structures of mid brain. Cyst is actually a thin walled water fluid swelling.
Good news is that, now a days there is very good prognosis of this disease. Most of these are benign, and can be removed surgically. You should expect your Neurologist to do complete clinical examination for hearing, Vision, reflexes, Coordination tests, balance tests. He will do fine needle aspiration guided under CT scan. may be he will be able to drain all the fluid present in the cyst. This is important to relieve her of all her symptoms, and to diagnose the cause of it also. Hopefully, she will just be perfectly normal. She may have to undergo annual CT scan for follow up. As she is already seeing Endocrinologist, he os she would be able to evaluate the need for some hormonal medicines.
You must feel free to ask any concern you have regarding your Doctor's plan for management of this disease.
I am hopeful, that soon your daughter will live a normal life. I have an experience of such case.
Dr H Hamdani
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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