- Daniel Carter complained of stomach pain but was told he was constipated
- Pain got so bad he was found lying on the floor unable to move or walk
- In hospital a CT scan revealed he had a cancerous neuroblastoma tumour
- Had surgery to remove part of it and has now begun chemotherapy
Madlen Davies for MailOnline
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Daniel Carter, five, is battling a rare form of cancer after doctors misdiagnosed him as constipated and send him away with Calpol
A five-year-old boy is battling a rare form of cancer after doctors misdiagnosed him as being constipated and sent him away with Calpol.
Daniel Carter, from Hull, complained of pains for months but was told by doctors it was just a stomach ache.
But when his parents discovered him lying on the carpet in so much agony he was unable to walk they rushed him to hospital where a CT scan revealed a cancerous tumour.
He underwent an emergency four-hour operation to remove part of the tumour, a neuroblastoma which had spread from his chest to his spine.
Daniel’s family have been left devastated by the diagnosis and he now faces a tough six months of emergency chemotherapy.
His mother Katie, 28, said: ‘Daniel had been complaining of having pains in his stomach since the start of the year.
‘Three weeks ago, he started having really horrible pains where he couldn’t walk but every time he was taken to the doctors he was just checked for constipation and was given Calpol.
‘It got to the point where he couldn’t get up from the floor and was just lying on the carpet.
‘That’s when we took him to another doctor who said he wasn’t happy with it and told us to go to Hull Royal Infirmary AE.
‘They did a CT scan and, when we got the results, we found the tumour. It has been horrific.
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Daniel was immediately rushed to Leeds Children’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a neuroblastoma – a cancer of specialised nerve cells involved in the development of the nervous system.
It affects fewer than 100 children in the UK every year – and Daniel was rushed for a four-hour op to remove part of the growth.
Daniel had a four-hour operation to remove the growth and is now undergoing chemotherapy. His parents, Katie, 28 and Kevin said it is incredibly difficult watching their child go through treatment
CHILDHOOD CANCER AFFECTS LESS THAN 100 YOUNGSTERS A YEAR
Neuroblastoma is a cancer of specialised nerve cells in the nervous system and other tissues.
Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with the disease.
Most children diagnosed with the disease are younger than five years old.
It is the second most common solid tumour in childhood, and it makes up 8 per cent of the total number of children’s cancers.
Neuroblastoma commonly occurs in either one of the two adrenal glands in a child’s tummy or in nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord, in the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis.
The cancer can spread to tissues beyond the original site, including bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin.
As with most cancers the cause of neuroblastoma is unknown.
The symptoms vary depending on where a child’s tumour is.
The first signs can be vague, and include tiredness, a loss of appetite and pain in the bones.
If the tumour is in a child’s tummy, it may be swollen and the child may complain of constipation or have difficulty passing urine.
Where a tumour is growing in a child’s chest, they may be breathless and have difficulty swallowing.
Source: Macmillan Cancer Support
During the operation, they found the lump – originally found in his chest – had spread to Daniel’s spinal cord.
Mrs Carter and husband Kevin, who also have sons David, seven, and Liam, six, said watching Daniel recover from the operation and begin chemotherapy has been difficult.
She said: ‘Since he started his chemotherapy, all he has done is stay on his bed and sleep.
‘It has been really hard having to see your child go through that.
‘He had been complaining of being in pain for so long, and now it all makes sense because he had this tumour.’
She added she takes solace in the fact doctors have seen children with bigger tumours.
She said: ‘The doctors said it was a big growth, but they have seen worse.
‘That might just be to keep us really positive for him.
‘But the doctors should have found this sooner – there were no further tests done for him for months.’
Now, Mrs Carter wants to warn other parents to get a second opinion if they believe their child is suffering from something serious.
Had doctors sent Daniel for tests about his stomach pains earlier his cancer may have been detected sooner, she believes.
She said: ‘It is incredibly hard to sit and watch him. I’m used to seeing him running around and doing all the things he should be doing as a five-year-old boy.
‘But he has no energy to do anything but sleep because of how ill he is at the moment.
‘Daniel is finding it really hard and it has been really scary.’
‘I don’t want people having to go through what we are going through now.’
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