Doctors dismissed my little girl’s tongue clicking as ‘teething’ – but it was among first signs she had a brain tumour
A TODDLER, whose unusual symptoms were repeatedly dismissed by doctors as teething, was later diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumour.
Poppy Sinnott was one year old in 2019 when she began staring into space, clicking her tongue, and passing out.
This unusual behaviour concerned her parents, Katie and Colin, who took her to A&E multiple times – only to be turned away by doctors saying it was likely teething or typical baby behaviour.
But as the episodes became more frequent and started causing falls, Katie refused to accept the explanations.
Katie, 36, said: “I felt completely helpless because we kept being sent home, but my gut told me there was something seriously wrong. When Poppy started twitching on one side, which caused her to fall over as she’d just started walking, I knew we had to demand attention, scans, and answers.
“Finally, after weeks of pushing, Poppy was admitted to the hospital, where an MRI scan found a shadow on her brain. At that point, doctors weren’t sure if it was a tumour or an infection.
“She had recently had chickenpox, so they considered meningitis or encephalitis and treated her with intravenous antibiotics and antivirals for a month.
“I felt like I was living in hell, uncertain about what was happening and terrified that my baby might die.”
To find out what was wrong, Poppy, from Preston, Lancashire, underwent a lumbar puncture and a second MRI.
The results confirmed that the shadow remained, so she was transferred to Manchester Children’s Hospital for a biopsy on the mass.
Doctors told her parents that Poppy had a ganglioglioma growing on her brain.
While it wasn’t cancerous, it was causing her to experience as many as 10 seizures per day, despite being on the highest doses of two
epilepsy medications.
Katie and Colin made the tough decision to send Poppy into surgery.
“The 11-hour operation was the longest and most terrifying time of my life,” adds Katie.
“Her first surgery appointment was cancelled due to a lack of high dependency beds, but in November 2019, she was finally wheeled into the theatre. It felt like we were waiting for years.
“Finally, the neurosurgeon came out and gave us the amazing news that he’d removed the whole tumour.
“We were beyond ecstatic, and Poppy was amazing. She bounced back so quickly, and to see her running around just days after surgery was nothing short of miraculous.
“She hasn’t had a seizure since, and not a day goes by where we don’t feel incredibly lucky.”
‘Living in hope’
Now a thriving six-year-old who loves maths, swimming, and attending Rainbows, Poppy and her family are determined to help other families facing the devastating impact of a brain
tumour diagnosis.
This year, as part of Brain Tumour Awareness Month [March], Katie is hosting a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in support of Wear A Hat Day and to celebrate Poppy receiving the all-clear, five years after her brain tumour diagnosis and operation.
Katie said: “I’ve been telling Poppy for ages that she could have a party to celebrate with our family and friends after her last appointment, and I wanted it to coincide with Wear a Hat Day
so we could raise funds for this amazing charity and the cause.
“This will be a wonderful way to bring closure to this terrifying chapter in all our lives, including for her brother, Jack, who was deeply affected by witnessing his sister’s seizures.
“When we received the all-clear, I felt happy but also worried about recurrence.
“We’re living in hope and are committed to fundraising for Brain Tumour Research to help find a cure.
“I urge parents to persist if they feel something isn’t right with their child.
“Video-recording symptoms can be crucial, as doctors need to see what’s happening to understand it.”
Ashley McWilliams, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said the charity is incredibly grateful to Katie and her family for their ongoing support.
“Katie’s determination to fight for answers for Poppy is truly inspiring, and it’s heartwarming to see them turn their journey into such a meaningful event for Wear a Hat Day,” she said.
“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1 per cent of the national cancer research budget has been allocated to brain tumours since 2002.
“Families like Poppy’s are helping to drive our mission for a future where brain tumours are no longer life-threatening.”
To support Poppy and Katie’s fundraising efforts, click here.
Symptoms of brain tumours in children
BRAIN tumour symptoms can be similar to those cause by childhood illnesses, and can vary between different children.
If they experience any of the following symptoms they should see their GP:
- headaches
- feeling or being sick
- seizures (fits)
- problems with their eyes or vision
- problems with their strength, balance or coordination
- changes in their behaviour
- problems with their posture
- delayed or stopped puberty
- your baby’s head measures larger than it should
The symptoms a child may have depends on where the tumour is in the brain.
They can also be different depending on the child’s age and development.
Cancer in children is considered rare, and these symptoms can be caused by many conditions.
But it’s still important for your child to see their GP.
Source: Cancer Research UK