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This is a condition in which happens when there is a buildup of fluid in the skull. This condition leads to the swelling of the brain. The accumulation of fluid in the skull also leads to an increase in the size of the ventricles, which further puts more pressure on the brain. Typically, the cerebrospinal fluid circulates through the ventricles, nourishing and bathing the brain and spinal cord. However, the excess pressure buildup associated with hydrocephalus can cause damages to the brain tissues, which would also affect its functions. Some of the signs and symptoms of this disease include headaches, double vision, urinary incontinence, alterations in personality, imbalance, and an impairment in the mental state. These symptoms are more prominent in old patients.

On the other hand, babies affected with this disease present with signs and symptoms such as the enlargement of the size of their heads, seizures, sleepiness, vomiting and so on. Hydrocephalus can develop later in life, and can also occur due to congenital disabilities. Some of the congenital disabilities that are associated with hydrocephalus include neural tube defects. Other diseases that could lead to the development of hydrocephalus include meningitis, tumors of the brain, subarachnoid hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage and so on. There are different types of hydrocephalus. Examples include normal pressure hydrocephalus, communicating, non-communicating and ex-vacuo hydrocephalus. Physicians diagnose this disease by examining the signs and symptoms presented by the patient. Also, they might also carry out some medical imaging test, to confirm the diagnosis and also exclude other diseases. Physicians treat this disease typically by the surgical placement of the shunt system. Researchers are working on ways to make stem cell an effective treatment of the disease, especially the congenital forms of hydrocephalus.

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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Hydrocephalus?

Hydrocephalus has the potential of causing irreversible damage to the brain. This is why it’s important to be able to identify the signs and symptoms and seek proper medical care. As mentioned earlier, this disease can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. However, the signs and symptoms presented by old and young patients are usually different. Below are some of the things you would notice in an infant affected with the disease:

Infants: Below are some of the signs and symptoms you would notice in an infant affected with hydrocephalus:

  • In enlargement in the size of the head: Infants affected with this experiences an increase in the circumference of their head. The increase usually occurs rapidly.
  • Seizures: This mostly occurs because of the buildup of pressure in the skull, which in turn compresses the brain.
  • Vomiting: Infants affected with this disease find it difficult to keep food down in their stomach.
  • Poor feeding: Consequent to vomiting most of the food they eat, infants becomes poorly fed, and would not grow well.
  • Infants do develop low muscle tone and strength.
  • They also tend to develop a downward gaze. This occurs because their eyes are fixed
  • Infants affected with this disease also develop a bulging fontanelle.

Toddlers and older children: Below are some of the signs and symptoms presented by older children affected by hydrocephalus:

  • Sleep problems: Patients do develop sleep problems. Examples of this include extreme sleepiness.
  • Changes in personality: Children affected by this disease tends to have alterations in their personality. They might develop anxiety, aggressiveness and so on.
  • Change in voice: The voice of patients tends to change. They present with short, high-pitched cries.
  • Facial structure: The facial structure of persons affected with this disease also changes.
  • Urinary incontinence: Patients affected with this condition find it difficult to control their bladder. This makes you urinate them urinate without any form of control.
  • Sleep problems: Patients do develop sleep problems. Examples of these problems include excessive sleepiness.
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Patients do also present with seizures.
  • Children affected with this disease find it difficult concentrating.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: This type of hydrocephalus is more common in old patients. Mostly those that are above the age of 60. Some of the symptoms presented by these patients include the following:

  • Headaches: Persons affected with this disease do present with headaches.
  • Urinary incontinence: Patients affected with this condition find it difficult to control their bladder. This makes you urinate them urinate without any form of control.
  • Lack of balance: Patients do find it difficult maintaining balance when walking. Asides from this, they also find it difficult walking.
  • Mental functions: Patients present with some mental conditions such as dementia.

What Are the Causes Of Hydrocephalus?

Hydrocephalus occurs as a result of an imbalance between the production and how much cerebrospinal fluid is absorbed back into the bloodstream. The function of the cerebrospinal fluid is to bathe and cushion the spinal cord and the brain. They help to protect the brain from injury and also helps to eliminate the waste products of the brain’s metabolism. Below are some of the conditions that could lead to hydrocephalus:

  • Obstruction: This is one of the most common causes of hydrocephalus. This obstruction is usually partial. It occurs when the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid is blocked from flowing from one ventricle to another.
  • Poor absorption: This occurs when the mechanism behind the absorption of the cerebrospinal fluid into the blood vessels is impaired.
  • Overproduction of fluid: Although uncommon, this happens when an excess amount of cerebrospinal fluid is produced, that it can be absorbed.

What Are the Risk Factors Of Hydrocephalus?

Some of the factors that increase the risk of hydrocephalus include the following;

  • Ventricular bleeding: Bleeding in the ventricles can lead to the development of hydrocephalus. This is more prominent in newborns.
  • Infection in newborn: Fetus exposed to infections, during pregnancy might experience the inflammation of the tissues of the brain. Examples of infections that could happen include syphilis and rubella.
  • Poor development of the central nervous system: The poor or abnormal development of the central nervous system can lead to the obstruction of the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid.
  • The trauma of the brain

Treatment Of Hydrocephalus

Physicians treat this disease typically by the surgical placement of the shunt system.

References

Hydrocephalus 2017, the Ninth Annual Meeting of the International Society for Hydrocephalus and CSF disorders (Hydrocephalus Society). (2018). Fluids and Barriers of the CNS, 15(S1).

Lew, S., Matthews, A., Hartman, A. and Haranhalli, N. (2012). Posthemispherectomy hydrocephalus: Results of a comprehensive, multi-institutional review. Epilepsia, 54(2), pp.383-389.

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