Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the third day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I thought I would share some facts with you today. These facts are not my own. I found them on Google and they came from a site called: http://www.medtronic.com/us-en/patients/conditions/hydrocephalus.html . About 1 in every 1000 babies is born with hydrocephalus, a condition in which too much cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles. Symptoms can include vomiting, lethargy, headache, enlarged head or even seizures. There is no cure, but implanting one of our shunts often provides long-term relief. The term "hydrocephalus" is derived from two Greek words: hydro (water) and kephale (head). Hydrocephalus is still sometimes referred to as "water on the brain." Hydrocephalus is a condition in which an excess of cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the cavities of the brain known as "ventricles." Under normal conditions, a delicate balance exists between the production, circulation, and absorption levels of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles. Hydrocephalus is the result of an imbalance of the distribution of cerebrospinal fluid. The three types of hydrocephalus include: Non-communicating (obstructive) hydrocephalus – Occurs when cerebrospinal fluid flow is blocked within the ventricular system
Communicating (non-obstructive) hydrocephalus – Occurs where there is inadequate cerebrospinal fluid absorption
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) – An increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles with little or no increase in the pressure inside the head; most often seen in adults over age 60
Both non-communicating and communicating hydrocephalus can be either "congenital" (existing before or at birth) or "acquired" (developing after birth due to trauma or disease).
In infants and toddlers, the bones of the skull are not yet closed, and hydrocephalus may be obvious. The child’s head will enlarge, and the fontanel (soft spot) may be tense and/or bulging. The skin may appear thin and shiny, and the veins of the scalp may appear full or engorged. Symptoms may include: Vomiting
Poor feeding
Listlessness
Irritability
Constant downward gaze of the eyes
Occasional seizures
In older children and adults, the bones of the skull have closed. These individuals have symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to ventricular enlargement from the extra cerebrospinal fluid, which causes compression of the brain tissue. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to: Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Visual disturbances
Poor coordination
Personality changes
Lack of concentration
Lethargy
The signs and symptoms of increasing intracranial pressure are likely to change over time, as the cranial sutures (the joints between the bones of the skull) begin to close in the infant and toddler and become fully closed in older children. There are several tests that can help in diagnosing hydrocephalus. These same studies can also help evaluate the shunt in case of malfunction or infection. I hope all of these facts are helpful to you and I hope you continue to learn each day. Until tomorrow please enjoy today's post about facts.