Emergency Medicine Physician Opines on Delayed Diagnosis of Brain Tumor

Case Overview

This case involves a child in Virginia who was seen by pediatrician with complaints of vomiting and sore throat. The child was treated with antibiotics, as well as additional medication for pain and vomiting, and sent home. A few days later, the child was taken to the emergency room with complaints of incessant vomiting. No neurological exam or imaging was done, and the patient was discharged again. Within the week, the child was back in the emergency room, where he was taken for an MRI that discovered a cranial hemorrhage. Further examination revealed the source of the hemorrhage to be a previously undiscovered brain tumor.