Toddler vomiting - worried about brain tumour

[AKM89]

Hi all

i should preface this post by saying that I have very bad health anxiety when it comes to my family as I lost my mum to cancer when I was 9 (breast that metastasised to other areas including her brain). I am also 7 days postpartum with baby number 2, so hormones are all over the place.

With those caveats in place:
Last night my 22 month old woke and was sick 3 times. Feeling even worse about it because I couldn’t go to him because newborn was playing up. He was chatty in between the vomiting episodes and had no signs of fever etc (though he does have a constant cold and has been very mucussy). Woke up this morning and was fine, had a normal appetite. Then he was sick again this evening in the car on the way back from swimming - again no temperature or other symptoms apart from the snottiness, and he came home and immediately ate his dinner fine.

Given my family history my mind has jumped to the worst and I am worried he has a brain tumour. Given the lack of other symptoms is there any way it could be something less sinister? Anyone else experienced similar with their little ones?

It’s just a normal vomiting bug, you are massively catastrophising. Are you getting help or have you had any help for your anxiety as it’s really important you don’t pass it on to your children.

I say this as someone who lost a parent to a brain tumour as a child.

Oh @AKM89 he will be absolutely fine. Toddlers vomit and sometimes you never know why. I might be wrong but I though one of the signs if a brain tumour was that they vomited in the morning in waking?

If you find that you are really struggling with your health anxiety please speak to your MW or GP as it can be a sign of PND

💐 OP I feel like this may have hints of health OCD and this post is what is known as “reassurance seeking”.

My advice (as a person with OCD and sometimes reassurance seeking behaviours) is to speak to your GP/Midwife/HV as soon as possible for support. If it’s just first ten days hormone rollercoaster, no harm done. If these feelings are about to escalate then it’ll be good to get help early xx

Congratulations on your new baby, I hope DS is recovered very soon ♥️

Mine have had lots of tummy bugs where they've not been especially unwell in themselves between bouts of vomiting, i.e no fever or diarrhoea etc and they will play quite happily until a few moments before they're sick and then go back to it after they're done throwing up. It's not unusual for it to last a day or two.

On the other hand, the only experience I've had of brain tumours (I lost a parent to this too), was that the vomiting was accompanied by severe headache, visual disturbances and feeling truly horrendous.

Take a deep breath and treat it like a tummy bug.

Has he been constipated? When my dc started to be randomly sick with no other real symptoms this was the first question his consultant asked.

You are catastrophising. It will be a bug.

You were however out of order taking a child who has been vomiting to a swimming pool!!

Thanks for your replies all. My other half has been saying similar but helps to hear from others. I have had counselling for this and it’s largely under control apart from times like this. I’ll definitely keep it under close review.

@lopsees you’re totally right of course, I have to admit I didn’t even think of this. No excuse at all but we’re somewhat on autopilot atm, and we didnt think it was a bug due to the lack of other symptoms. As I say, no excuse though.

Understandable to be concerned OP, given the past experience, but it sounds like a one off bug to me. My two were often sick with a cold. I hope your little one is better soon.

Your child almost certainly has a bug. Probably passed on to him by someone taking their DC swimming or something the day after they'd spent the night throwing up 🙄

DC are sick a lot of the time for no reason and they bounce back. He should not have gone swimming. One it wasn’t fair on other people in the pool and two he had been sick and would have probably been delicate and poss dehydrated.
I would say the main issue is not the sickness but you worrying.
you have just had a little one so this is normally but if it does continue speak to a professional.

@Roselilly36 @namechange3394 @Highfivemum indeed, you’re all correct and as I say above, mea culpa.

You absolutely should not have taken him swimming! He’s got a bug and could pass it on to others.

If they are very snotty they might be swallowing lots of it and that can make them sick too.

If the vomiting continues and you're worried, go to your GP. If it's accompanied by unbearable headaches or other symptoms, go to A&E. I think other posters are right, and your child probably has a bug, but you know your child best and if you think something isn't right, get it checked out. (Saying this as the parent of a child with a brain tumour - the first sign was waking up with horrendouse headaches and vomiting every day for several days in a row.)

My toddlers (poor things, and me) we all had lots of vomitting bugs.
Nobody has had a brain tumour yet.

Yep, sounds like a normal vom bug to me too. Always spaced apart so just as you think it's safe to move the towel protecting the carpet or that they might be able to go back to nursery, they spew again.

Definitely the case with DS and he's 5 now- he had 2 days off school the other week as all the gunk made him puke on the way to school and as DH told them this, we assumed they'd want him away 48 hr etc, even though he was fine

Sounds like a bug/virus and I wouldn't be concerned. My 2 have been known to be sick with mucus too, probably one of the quickest ways they clear it.
Take one day at a time. If he appears happy and is eating/drinking they are good signs. If it goes on for more than a few days then speak to your gp for reassurance.
Also, if you are susceptible, definitely speak to your midwife about possible pnd signs. I've had it twice, first was a nightmare as I ignored it for 6 months and it took my about 2 years to recover. Second time it was diagnosed very early and I was medicated by the time she was 3/4 weeks old. Had a much much happier time with her.

It’s most likely just a vomiting bug.
Unfortunately I am close with 2 people with brain tumours. One of them a child and neither had a symptom of vomiting. Headaches one had the other was seizures. I wouldn’t be worried about a tumour

Sending all good wishes 💐

It’ll be either the mucus or a bug. It won’t be a brain tumour. Bless you!

@C152 so sorry to hear about your child, and thanks for sharing your experience.

Hi OP, I reckon it’s the mucous and not necessarily a bug. My two year old always vomits randomly when he’s snotty, I think mucous activates his gag reflex. It’s the same when he coughs a lot. I have health anxiety regarding my children so the horrible rising fear is very relatable. I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about x

Highly likely its a virus but if not recovered in a few days then get gp appt to check.
In future - swimming pools generally advise not to go for 14 days after vomiting/ diarrhoea to avoid passing onto others. No doubt there will not be a few others ill in your area.

Toddlers are pukey little blighters. Between tiny baby and puking toddler you must be so tired and it's easy to think the worst when you're exhausted. GP if it's not cleared up within a few days and maybe some help with your health anxiety.