What to do? Caught something on camera...

[Spagblogganing]

I took some photos for my son's school during their Christmas Nativity. As I was just editing them I noticed that one little girl had a white pupil. I thought it was a case of red eye, so zoomed in to fix it. However, one pupil was black and the other white.

I looked at other pictures and they are all the same.

I got concerned because I am sure I have heard that this is how a mother diagnosed her daughter's eye cancer...retino something or another

Should I mention anything to the school? Does it sound like I am loopy?

I would get the pics and also the information on this other mother who got her childs eye cancer diognosed and take it in to school & have a word with the head.

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If it is that obvious I would be surprised if her parents haven't checked it out. I would probably mention it to the class teacher - s/he is likely to know if this has been identified as a problem in this girl and will know the parents so be able to mention it to them when they pick her up.

I remember that story too - it's not something you can see normally - ie., you only see the difference in the colour of the pupils in flash photographs - something to do with the flash bouncing off the tumour?

I'd go to the head too - you may sound like a loon, granted - but better to sound a loon than leave it and then find out there was something wrong when it was too late.

I think you should say something. If it turns out to be nothing at all anyway, no harm will have been done.

But I think it can be a sign of a serious eye condition called retinoblastoma, which I'm fairly sure is often discovered through light (such as a flash) shining into the retina.

I'm no doctor and of course it could be nothing, but if it was something, surely the parents would be grateful for you alerting them of it and it being treated sooner as a result?

Mmm, Marthamoo is right, it only gets picked up when flash is bounced off the retina.
I have googled retinoblastoma (the cancer) and leucocoria (the white pupil thing) and am convinced I ought to say something...Gives me the chills

here You need to talk to the Head

I think it's more likely to be an artefact of the photo, but I might mention it in a non-stressed to her mum (if you know her) or her class teacher (if you know her), or, failing that, the head.

News story on similar lines is here .

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googled retinblastomas and aDad is right - if you look under symptoms you read exactly what you have described. Can you print off the link and take that with the photos to the head ? Surely it is better to be wrong and look silly than any other scenario

I couldn't find the story (well done Mrs B) but I did find this on Cancer Research UK's site:

"Guidelines for urgent referral
According to Department of Health guidelines you should ideally get an appointment within 2 weeks for an urgent referral. The symptoms that need urgent referral to a specialist for possible retinoblastoma are

If the pupil of the eye looks white instead of black. Sometimes this is noticed on photos when a flash is used."

You must say something - definitely. I hope your fears are unfounded.

Agree, do say something, and make it clear to the teacher that this is a real concern - not that you've diagnosed anything but that she must explain to the parents that it can be significant and needs to be checked out. Hopefully Mrs Badger is right and it's merely a photographic fault, but if this was my ds, I'd want to know.

If it is the same on a number of pictures then it doesn't sound like a photographic fault. Definitely mention it to the school.

Could you look at anyone elses pictures and see if they look the same (less liekly to be the camera?)

Could you put copies of the photos, a print out of the information explaining the concern, and add a letter to the parents - just explain that you are sure it is nothing, but because of what you had read previosuly you felt that you had to mention it just in case.

As a mum I certainly wouldn't be upset or offended if another parent did that for me and my daughter. Chances are it is nothing and the mum may have a wasted trip to the GPs. However, you may help to save this child's eye sight or more.

Definitely mention it, either to the headteacher or to the parents (if you know them).

I don't know who her parents are. I missed the head on Friday so have emailed the school.
I am sure that it is nothing, but then I couldn't relax thinking I hadn't done anything.

Agree, you must mention it.

Just wanted to add that I think you have absolutely done the right thing. I can't imagine anyone would object to your bringing this to either the school's or the parents' attention.

If you have picked up on something which otherwise would have gone unnoticed until too late, then you have possibly saved that little girl and her family a huge amount of worry.

Spagblogg - did you hear anything back from the Head?

I was wondering too

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me too

Blimey me too. It is amazing how easily things can be missed, not in the same league but several times I have mentioned to parents that their children are struggling to see the board etc in my lessons and when they have taken them to the opticians they have had their eyes checked and come back with glasses!

I'm wondering aswell!!