Doctors told parents their baby was teething but the truth was far more sinister
The parents of a toddler who started to 'click her tongue' were told by doctors it was probably teething, however the cause was far more sinister.
Poppy Sinnott was one-years-old when her parents noticed she was staring into space a lot, clicking her tongue and then having seizures.
Her worried parents Katie and Colin took their daughter to A&E, however were allegedly told by doctors it was 'typical baby behaviour' and probably related to teething. However when their daughter's symptoms worsened, including twitching which would cause her to frequently fall they demanded answers.
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Katie said: "I felt completely helpless because we kept being sent home. My gut told me there was something seriously wrong. When Poppy started twitching on one side, which caused her to fall over as she'd just started walking, I knew we had to demand attention, scans, and answers."
After weeks of pushing for answers, Poppy was admitted to hospital and she was given an MRI scan which showed a shadow on her brain.
Her mum added: "At that point, doctors weren't sure if it was a tumour or an infection. She had recently had chickenpox, so they considered meningitis or encephalitis and treated her with intravenous antibiotics and antivirals for a month. I felt like I was living in hell, uncertain about what was happening and terrified that my baby might die.'
The toddler was treated with antibiotics but when a second MRI scan was done and a lumbar puncture, the family were given the devastating news their daughter had a brain tumour.
After being transferred to Manchester Children's Hospital a biopsy confirmed Poppy had ganglioglioma - a non-cancerous tumour which would continue to cause as many as ten seizures a day even when medicated.
At this stage Poppy was suffering from as many as 10 seizures per day, despite being on the highest doses of two different epilepsy medications. With her condition deteriorating the desperate parents made the choice to send Poppy for an 11-hour operation to remove the mass, which Katie called the longest and most terrifying time of her entire life.
The mum from Preston said: "Her first surgery appointment was cancelled due to a lack of high dependency beds, but in November 2019, she was finally wheeled into the theatre. It felt like we were waiting for years. Finally, the neurosurgeon came out and gave us the amazing news that he'd removed the whole tumour. We were beyond ecstatic, and Poppy was amazing."
Katie said Poppy, who is now six-years-old, was "amazing and bounced back so quickly" after the treatment and recently was given the all clear after five years of follow up appointments.
Following her diagnosis her family want to raise awareness of brain tumours and are hosting a Mad Hatter's Tea Party at the end of March as part of Wear A Hat Day.
The JustGiving page is already at 40% of the £500 target, with Katie raising £200 in just two days. The mum from Preston said: "She hasn't had a seizure since [the operation], and not a day goes by where we don't feel incredibly lucky.
'I've been telling Poppy for ages that she could have a party to celebrate with our family and friends after her last appointment, and I wanted it to coincide with Wear a Hat Day so we could raise funds for this amazing charity and the cause.
"This will be a wonderful way to bring closure to this terrifying chapter in all our lives, including for her brother, Jack, who was deeply affected by witnessing his sister's seizures."
Katie also wants to urge parents to persist if they feel like something isn't right with their child. She added: "When we received the all-clear, I felt happy but also worried about recurrence. We're living in hope and are committed to fundraising for Brain Tumour Research to help find a cure. I urge parents to persist if they feel something isn't right with their child. Video-recording symptoms can be crucial, as doctors need to see what's happening to understand it.'
Ashley McWilliams, Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "We're incredibly grateful to Katie and her family for their ongoing support. Katie's determination to fight for answers for Poppy is truly inspiring, and it's heartwarming to see them turn their journey into such a meaningful event for Wear a Hat Day.
"Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national cancer research budget has been allocated to brain tumours since 2002. Families like Poppy's are helping to drive our mission for a future where brain tumours are no longer life-threatening." To support Poppy and Katie's fundraising efforts, visit click here.
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