THE early diagnosis of a rare brain tumour might have saved the life of Dilton Marsh’s Alexander Vinson, after an inquest found that another young boy with a brain tumour died because doctors at Bristol Hospital missed opportunities to diagnose him.

Bristol’s Ayaan Hussain was taken to hospital in October last year by his mum after he started vomiting and losing his balance, but was diagnosed with an intolerance to dairy products and sent home.

Less than a week later he was taken back to Bristol Children's Hospital but the inquest last month heard that an "uninterested" doctor diagnosed a stomach problem and ignored his mother’s pleas for more tests.

Ten days later Ayaan, who was almost two, suffered a fit and a respiratory arrest and when he got to hospital a brain scan revealed he had a brain tumour. He died the next day from swelling on the brain.

Like Ayaan, Alexander began to be sick and suffer dizziness while on holiday in Romania with his mum, Raluca, in July this year and, despite being taken to hospital on several occasions over two weeks, doctors initially refused to conduct a scan.

Mrs Vinson, 35, of Friars Close, said: “We were flying out to Romania on holiday to visit family and he started being sick on the plane before it had taken off and every time he ate something he brought it back up.

“We went to the hospital in Romania and they gave me something strong for his stomach and he stayed in hospital for a few days.

“But when he came out he had a headache and dizziness and he kept putting his head to one side and so we went back into hospital because I knew something was wrong. He wasn’t himself.

“They didn’t want to do a scan but eventually they decided to do one and they found something there.

“We were referred to a neuro specialist hospital in Bucharest and they said he had a rare brain tumour and had to be operated on.

“They were quite blunt about it and by this time my husband, Philip, had arrived and we decided to go home to get it confirmed at Southampton Hospital.”

The two-year-old was diagnosed with Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT), and underwent two eight-hour operations to have 80 per cent of the tumour removed.

He has since undergone three out of nine chemotherapy sessions and his family are looking to raise £150,000 so he can receive proton beam therapy in the USA after the NHS rejected their application.

The Wiltshire Times has offered its support to Alexander and his family in their attempt to get treatment in the US, with charity Kids ‘n’ Cancer setting up a JustGiving page for people to send in donations.

To make a donation, visit https://www.justgiving.com/actionforalexander/ or send cheques to Kids ‘n’ Cancer at Bridge Business Centre, Beresford Way, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S41 9FG. Cheques should include a note on the back stating it is for the ‘Alexander Appeal’.