Parents were yesterday urged to look out for a sudden change in the size of their child's head or unexplained vomiting.

Both could be signs of a brain tumor, experts said at a national pediatric neurosurgery forum in the city yesterday.

The forum heard that an expert team on diagnosis and treatment of children's brain tumors was being established by the Chinese Medical Association to regulate medical practice in domestic hospitals, improve training and promote public awareness of the condition.

Dr Ma Jie, director of Xinhua Hospital's pediatric neurosurgery department, said vomiting was a common symptom of a brain tumor and he warned parents not to confuse it with stomach ailments. "About 80 percent of children can suffer headaches or nausea," he said. "Parents should take the child to hospital for a check-up immediately if he or she vomits without reason or they are banging their heads or crying heavily."

Other symptoms included a head bigger than their peers, poor eyesight, feeling excessively hungry and thirsty, a refusal to talk and exhibiting slow responses.

"Many Chinese parents consider a child is clever if the head is big. But, in fact, it can be a sign of a brain tumor," Ma said.

After leukemia, brain tumors are the second most common cancer in Chinese children. About 7,000 children a year are diagnosed with the disease.

(Shanghai Daily September 18, 2088)