How We Found Out

Many of you have asked how we found out that Isaac had a brain tumor.  So to expand on that here is the story:

There were essentially 2 main symptoms that showed up for Isaac:
1) Head tilt
2) Left side weakness

We first started noticing some symptoms sometime around Christmas time (2014). Isaac's torticollis (head tilt) had come back. You see IZ was born with torticollis (this is very common in new borns and no one thought twice about it). He went to physical therapy until he was roughly 5 months old and was then cleared by PT and we didn't notice any other symptoms related to this until the following Christmas time (so for almost a whole year).

Then around February we started noticing some right sided favoritism in Isaac.  He was physically able to use his left hand but we noticed that approximately 9 times out of 10 Isaac would choose to use his right hand over his left.  We just assumed he was right handed.  Shortly after his left arm/hand became kind of "weak". It sort of hung there like it was limp. His walking also changed slightly.  He was a little more uncoordinated and had a slight limp to his gait.  But besides those things he still played and acted like a normal toddler. He was constantly on the go and into everything.

Then in March Isaac was referred to go see a physical therapist again.  The first meeting we just worked on exercises that would help his head tilt.  The second appointment they took a closer look at the left sided weakness.  I was told by an occupational therapist who was pulled into our session that at Isaac's age he should be using his right and left hand equally. She thought that because Isaac was so right hand dominant and for the other reasons above that we should go see his pediatrician for further evaluation.  The very next day I was able to make an appointment with his pediatrician. We explained the symptoms that Isaac was experiencing and told her what the occupational and physical therapist had said.  After an evaluation she suggested we go get an MRI for precautionary reasons.

On April 7th Isaac had an MRI done which showed a brain tumor on his brain stem and spinal cord.

We are sharing this for 2 reasons.  First because many people have asked and secondly so parents can be educated in things to look for in their children that are just a little off.

We hope you never have to experience a situation like ours but we would encourage parents to not let "oddities" go unchecked. We feel very blessed to have caught this when we did.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

Be a blessing,
Nick and Allison