Why do I keep seeing stories of children with inoperable brain cancer?

[Fearful2306]

That’s 2 in the past three days - one on TikTok and one on South West news.

I’ve also seen three more over the past 6 months who have sadly died. I believe these are all brain stem tumours - I think it’s known as DIPG. It’s heartbreaking, but Aldi terrifying. I have a 5 year old mystic and this is really scaring me.

Yes, Aldi is pretty terrifying. Probably best to stick to Waitrose where decent people shop. WRT your 5 yo mystic, well they do say children have a sixth sense don't they?

This is very, very rare OP when you consider the millions of children in the UK. Of course it's upsetting to hear about these cases, but the chance of your DC getting this diagnosis is very low.

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/childrens-cancers#:~:text=Children's%20cancers%20incidence&text=Cancer%20in%20children%20accounts%20for,year%20(2016%2D2018).

I meant also, not Aldi! Can’t edit

God all the typos! Sorry

Social media Algorithms. You stopped and watched some thing so they keep showing you similar things because that’s what keeps you on their site.

Mystic? Aldi?

I'm lost already!

You clicked on one story, so it now gives you loads of other of the same story.

Algorithms does seem to be the likely answer.

I watch cat videos and now I think the whole world is feline. Not a bad way to live. But you need to get off Tiktok and stop watching dead children videos.

OP clear your history, cookies etc. You've watched/read one or two things about childhood cancer and the algorithm has noticed you're interested and will keep showing you related videos and articles. Algorithms can't differentiate between topics like this or jelly cakes. They just push what they think will keep you engaged on that site or app. To reassure you, I haven't seen anything about childhood cancers at all recently.

Because if you've clicked in one video about something 'the algorithm' thinks you are interested in it so shows you more of the same.

Social media algorithms. Try clearing your cookies and cache.

It's the algorithm. I keep getting videos suggested about a particular type of cancer despite never having watched a video about it.

The algorithm! I went though a period on Twitter of bereaved parents on my feed. They had all tragically lost children to cancer or suicide. It really got me down but also made me appreciate how dangerous these algorithms are as it's just plays to one narrative with no balanced perspective.

I clicked on one video about a particularly large crocodile about six months ago and ever since I’ve had nothing but crocodile videos recommended to me. Unfortunately, I’ve clicked one or two, so now I get even more. It’s a pit you can’t climb out of.

Algorithms, yes. But also they aren't as rare as we would like to think. I know of two little girls just in our local area (each friends of friends)

A couple of weeks ago I watched a short video on YouTube demonstrating how "cause I'm a paper chaser" sounds exactly like "cause I'm a big fucking slut". After the clip, it started autoplaying some sort of contemporary Christian worship music, which I immediately stopped.

Ever since, YouTube's been recommending me dozens upon dozens of terrible Christian worship music videos. I click "not interested" on every one, but they keep coming.

Bastard algorithm.

When I was a kid, there was lots of stuff about kids getting meningitis - I remember a big display of leaflets and posters in our leisure centre, etc. I couldn't get heat rash without mum coming at me with a glass! But I never knew anyone who'd had it.

It makes sense that families who've had these illnesses pop up want to raise awareness of initial symptoms that they and maybe their GPs didn't grasp the seriousness of at first. But not every rash is meningitis, not every headache is a tumour.

No one gets a reporter and photographer round to tell everyone about their perfectly average, healthy child.

I'm still trying to work out what mystic was a typo for.

Myself.

Sadly children suffering from brain tumours is not a new thing, however social media obviously is.

We lost our 4 year old niece to a brain tumour 13 years ago. My friend’s son developed at brain tumour when he was 2, that was 46 years ago.

hmmm, reading some of the replies I just wanted to add that it could be the algorithm? 😂

well, if you click on one storey once, you get lots of similar stories after

Don’t be ridiculous. It could be something to do with the algorithm.

It’s algorithms. Try not to worry. A lot of life is out of our control (I know that’s scarier until the point where you accept it). Awful, horrible things happen but they are rare. Extreme events good or bad are rare. Just as winning the lottery jackpot happens to someone in the UK every week or so but it’s likely none of us ever will.