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Pediatric Spine and Brain Radiation Side Effects

One of the medical treatments used to address tumors in the brain or spine is radiation therapy. During this procedure, x-rays are use to eradicate tumor cells. There are specific side effects that accompany this procedure, and they include nausea, hair loss and difficulty swallowing due to a sore throat. But pediatric spine and brain radiation side effects can have a different impact, depending on the overall health and age of the child.

  1. Bone Growth

    • A child's height and spinal bone growth can be reduced by radiation therapy. This is because the radiation can deplete the growth hormone that is responsible for normal development. Growth hormone is made at the base of the brain. Radiation to this area reduces the growth of this hormone which has a direct impact on spinal growth. Depending on how young the child is, bone-related disfigurement may also occur. As a child ages, he is less likely to have deforming bone abnormalities associated with radiation. But for younger children, there are medications that can be given to help with this problem.

    Learning Disabilities

    • Children who are having radiation therapy at a very young age can have difficulties with cognitive skills. This includes problems with memory, attention span, visual and auditory processing and logic and reasoning. While the radiation is killing the fast growing tumor cells, it is also damaging the healthy cells at the same time. The brain does not regenerate these cells, and this can result in a host of problems, including central nervous system damage. This primarily occurs with whole brain radiation or WBRT. By the time a child is seven years of age, her brain is 90 percent developed. But the younger the child is while undergoing radiation therapy, the higher the risk for having these types of learning disabilities.

    Burns

    • Radiation burns or ulcers can occur after a child has radiation treatments. The underlining skin tissue and bone can also become damaged. The symptoms include a sun burnt-like patch on the skin, blisters, nausea and vomiting, hair loss or dehydration. The age of the patient and how much radiation is given during the procedure will have to be assessed. The treatment for a radiation burn can vary, and this is due to the patient's blood cell count. Antibiotics to prevent infection and medication to relieve nausea and vomiting can help to lessen the harmful effects.

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