Does hydrocephalus always cause brain damage?
In hydrocephalus, the build-up of CSF can raise pressure inside the skull, which squashes surrounding brain tissue. In some cases, this can cause the head to steadily grow in size, convulsions, and brain damage. Hydrocephalus can be fatal if left untreated.
Why is hydrocephalus possible in infants?
In some babies the condition is genetic, such as in babies with congenital aqueductal stenosis. Other conditions, such as neural tube defects (like spina bifida), are also associated with hydrocephalus. Other causes include premature birth, infections, tumors, or bleeding inside the brain.
What happens when a baby has hydrocephalus?
The impact of hydrocephalus on a newborn is somewhat unpredictable and can vary in severity. Because it injures the brain, children with hydrocephalus may have epilepsy, learning disabilities, short-term memory loss, problems with coordination, vision problems, and early onset of puberty.
What is the most common cause of hydrocephalus in infants?
The most common cause of acquired hydrocephalus in infants is hemorrhage, most often as a consequence of prematurity. Other important causes include neoplasm and infection, usually bacterial meningitis.
Does hydrocephalus ever go away?
Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition. It can be controlled, but usually not cured. With appropriate early treatment, however, many people with hydrocephalus lead normal lives with few limitations.
How long do babies born with hydrocephalus live?
Most of the newborns born with hydrocephalus will have a normal lifespan, and approximately 40 to 50 percent will have normal intelligence. Seizure disorders have been diagnosed in about 10 percent of children with hydrocephalus. The mortality rate for infants is approximately 5 percent.
How long does a baby with hydrocephalus live?
What is the treatment for hydrocephalus in the child?
The most common hydrocephalus treatment is a shunt, a small piece of silicone tubing placed surgically inside the body to bypass a blockage or otherwise create a better flow of cerebrospinal fluid. The shunt allows for fluid to flow through it in one direction.
Can a baby with hydrocephalus walk?
Many children with pediatric hydrocephalus have normal intelligence and physical development, but some may be slower to develop skills such as hand-eye coordination or learning to walk. Some may experience learning problems as they progress in school.
What happens to the brain of a baby with hydrocephalus?
What Is Hydrocephalus In Babies? Hydrocephalus is a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid remains in the cavities of the brain, causing the brain and skull to swell. Cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, is a clear liquid that circulates within the nervous system to provide nourishment and cushion the brain and spinal cord (1).
Is there a cure for hydrocephalus in babies?
The condition is self-limiting, resolves within a few years, and seldom causes complications unlike true hydrocephalus ( 9 ). Infants with the condition do not show any adverse symptoms, and no treatment is required ( 10 ). Therefore the disorder is different from hydrocephalus and should not be confused with it.
Can a child be born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus?
Congenital – This means that your child was born with hydrocephalus. Children born with spina bifida often develop hydrocephalus. This does not mean that all children with hydrocephalus also have spina bifida. Prematurity – Hydrocephalus can occur as a complication of being born too early, and when there has been bleeding in the brain.
Why does the head get bigger with hydrocephalus?
These causes of hydrocephalus typically lead to increased size in the lateral ventricles, but not an increase in the head size. This is because the cerebral spinal fluid is filling in space from damage caused to the brain from the infection or injury.
What causes brain damage in a baby with hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus Brain Injury. Birth trauma can cause hydrocephalus, a dangerous condition in which a child’s brain is compressed by excessive cerebrospinal fluid. Some babies will suffer permanent brain damage.
The condition is self-limiting, resolves within a few years, and seldom causes complications unlike true hydrocephalus ( 9 ). Infants with the condition do not show any adverse symptoms, and no treatment is required ( 10 ). Therefore the disorder is different from hydrocephalus and should not be confused with it.
Can a child live a full life with hydrocephalus?
Children often have a full life span if hydrocephalus is caught early and treated. Infants who undergo surgical treatment to reduce the excess fluid in the brain and survive to age 1 will not have a shortened life expectancy due to hydrocephalus.
What happens if you don’t get treatment for hydrocephalus?
Fifty percent of those who fail to have their hydrocephalus treated will die. The other half survive with what is called arrested hydrocephalus. Those who are not treated and survive may have serious brain damage and physical disabilities. How does hydrocephalus affect children differently than adults?