How do you know if you have a brain tumor? The signs and symptoms you may experience (fancy medical jargon for things you may feel or changes your body may show) depend on what part of the brain the tumor is growing in. Our brains are enclosed in a liquid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This fluid is made deep inside your brain, flows down the spinal cord, then returns to the top of the brain. In kids, a growing brain tumor often blocks the normal flow of this fluid. The blockage can lead to headaches, vomiting, wobbliness when you walk, drowsiness and a whole bunch of other symptoms that just make people feel really sick. Approximately one-third of kids with brain tumors have the tumor in the top part of their brain (the "supratentorial" part, in medical jargon). This area includes parts of the brain known as the frontal, occipital, temporal and parietal lobes, to name a few. When a tumor grows in the supratentorial part of the brain, children may have seizures, may not do so well in school, or may have a change in their personality. Sometimes they notice weakness, clumsiness, or changes in the normal working of their bowel and bladder (like having accidents with urine, for example). If the tumor is in the brainstem (the part that connects your brain to your spinal cord), kids notice a change in their smile (it becomes lopsided), they may drool, have double vision, or notice their eyes are not working together. Brainstem tumors also block the CSF liquid, so problems with vomiting, headaches, drowsiness might also happen. Most importantly, nobody knows your body like you do. If something doesn't feel right, ask your folks or doctor about it. Brain tumors in kids are really rare, but trust yourself - if something doesn't feel right... check it out. It probably won't be a brain tumor, but it's important to get a checkup. Answered by Dr. Stewart Goldman, pediatric oncologist, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago July, 2007