Brain tumours -Headsmart quick reference guide for GPs

This description has been taken from the site https://www.headsmart.org.uk/about-headsmart/

10 children and teenagers are diagnosed with a brain tumor every week in the UK, that's more than one a day. HeadSmart is raising national awareness of the common signs and symptoms of brain tumours in children and teenagers by equipping parents, the public and healthcare professionals with the information they need.

Our goal is to reduce average diagnosis times of brain tumours to four weeks or less in line with NHS targets. Identifying tumours early reduces the chance of a child developing long term disabilities and can ultimately save their life.

Brain tumours are the leading cause of childhood cancer deaths in the UK - 58% of children aged 0-14 are diagnosed with a high grade brain tumour as an emergency. By raising awareness of the signs and symptoms, the campaign aims to reduce these figures.

History

The idea behind HeadSmart grew from the concerns of families and healthcare professionals about the prolonged time it was taking for children and young people with a brain tumour to be diagnosed. This included Neil and Angela Dickson, founders of The Brain Tumour Charity (formerly Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust), whose daughter Samantha...