ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about body changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.

Children with DIG may experience the following symptoms or signs. A symptom is something that only the person experiencing it can identify and describe, such as fatigue, nausea, or pain. A sign is something that other people can identify and measure, such as a fever, rash, or an elevated pulse. Together, signs and symptoms can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, a child with DIG does not have any of the signs and symptoms described below. Or, the cause of a symptom or sign may be a medical condition that is not a brain tumor.

• Rapid skull growth or an increase in head size during infancy

• Seizures or convulsions, which are sudden, involuntary movements of a person’s muscles

• Tense and bulging fontanelle, which is the infant’s “soft spot” on the head

• Abnormal or decreased sensations

• Numbness

• Weakness

• Loss of muscle control

• Increased or decreased muscle tone

• Paralysis, which is being unable to move part or all of the body

If you are concerned about any changes your child experiences, please talk with your child’s doctor. The doctor will ask how long and how often your child has been experiencing the symptoms(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.

If DIG is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of care and treatment. This may be called "palliative care" or "supportive care." It is often started soon after diagnosis and continued throughout treatment. Be sure to talk with the health care team about the symptoms your child experiences, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.