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HYDROCEPHALUS
Hydrocephalus, also known as "water on the brain," is a medical condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles, or cavities, of the brain.
Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure may include headaches, vomiting, nausea, papilledema, sleepiness, or coma.
In infants with hydrocephalus, CSF fluid builds up causing the fontanelle (soft spot) to bulge and the head to be larger than expected. Early symptoms may also include:
Eyes that appear to gaze downward
Irritability
Seizures
Separated sutures
Sleepiness
Vomiting
Symptoms that may occur in older children can include:
Brief, shrill, high-pitched cry
Changes in personality, memory, or the ability to think
Changes in facial appearance and eye spacing
Crossed eyes or uncontrolled eye movements
Difficulty feeding
Excessive sleepiness
Headache
Irritability, poor temper control
Loss of bladder control
Loss of coordination and trouble walking
Muscle spasticity (spasm)
Slow growth (child 0–5 years)
Slow or restricted movement
Vomiting
Spread- its not contagious, its a birth defect/ early developement defect
Cause- blockage of cerebrospinal fluid/ over production of cerebrospinal fluid
Risk Factors- CNS infections, meningitis, brain tumors, head trauma, intracranial hemorrhage in baby
Hydrocephalus affects both pediatric and adult patients. According to the NIH website, there are an estimated 700,000 children and adults living with hydrocephalus.
Pediatric hydrocephalus affects one in every 500 live births, making it one of the most common developmental disabilities, more common than Down syndrome or deafness. It is the leading cause of brain surgery for children in the United States.
Diagnosis is determined after patient has gone through a form of electromagnetic radiation scanning (x-ray)
Hydrocephalus treatment is surgical. It involves the placement of a tube into the cerebral ventricles to bypass the flow and drain the excess fluid into other body cavities, from where it can be resorbed