Objective: Childhood intracranial tumors have long symptom interval which often makes early diagnosis difficult than other tumors. Here, we review the clinical features of childhood intracranial tumors with relation of diagnosis time.

Material and Method: We obtained data of 74 children aged 1 month-18 years diagnosed as intracranial tumor at Sami Nation Child Hospital from January 2015 to January 2019 retrospectively. Tumors were categorized into 2 groups; supratentorial and infratentorial. Symptoms at onset, symptom duration, diagnosis time are compared.

Results: The tumor localization was supratentorial in 54% (n =40) of cases and infratentorial in 46% (n =34). Most frequent tumors were astrocytoma (n =20) and medulloblastoma (n =15). The mean of symptoms (14±3 day, 22±5 day; p =0.027) and diagnosis time of infratentorial tumors (15±9 h, 31±12 h; p =0,004) was shorter than supratentorial tumors. Headache, seizures and ophtalmological symptoms were the commenest symptoms in supratentorial tumors whereas headache, vomiting, dizziness in infratentorial tumors. Diagnosis time in patients with vomiting and dizziness with headache was shorter than patients with only headache. Urgent cranial tomography was obtained from patients admitting with focal neurological symptoms where statistical difference in diagnosis time was detected comparing to patients with nonfocal symptoms (7±1 h, 35±9 h; p =0,000).

Conclusion: Intracranial tumor symptomatology can be variable especially in patients under 10 years. The mean time of symptoms and diagnosis of infratentorial tumors was shorter than supratentorial tumors. Vomiting and dizziness with headache and focal abnormalities in neurological examination may help to shorten the diagnosis time.