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 can I prevent hydrocephalus in pregnancy?
You can’t prevent hydrocephalus, but you can lower your risk and your child’s risk for developing the condition in the following ways:
- Prenatal care. Make sure you get prenatal care during pregnancy.
- Vaccinations.
- Safety equipment.
- Buying safe gear for younger children.
How common is fluid on the brain in babies?
Congenital (inborn) hydrocephalus occurs in one or two of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. Hydrocephalus is the most common reason for brain surgery in children. Hydrocephalus comes from Greek words “hydro,” meaning “water,” and “cephalus,” meaning “head.”
Can hydrocephalus in babies go away?
There is no cure for hydrocephalus, but with timely diagnosis and treatment, children with hydrocephalus can lead normal lives. They will require close care from physicians, neurosurgeons and sometimes neurologists as well.
Can a baby live with fluid on the brain? – Related Questions
How long do babies born with hydrocephalus live?
What is the life expectancy of a child who has 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.
Is hydrocephalus a birth defect?
Hydrocephalus is one of the most common “birth defects” affecting more than 10,000 babies each year. One out of every 500 newborns has hydrocephalus.
What does a baby with hydrocephalus look like?
In an infant, the most obvious sign of hydrocephalus is an abnormal enlargement of the baby’s head. The soft spot on the top of the head (fontanel) may be tense and bulging. The scalp may appear thin and glistening, and the scalp veins may appear to have unnatural fullness (prominence) as well.
Can hydrocephalus 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. Hydrocephalus can occur at any age, but is most common in infants and adults age 60 and older.
At what age is hydrocephalus diagnosed?
concluded that most children with an increased head circumference caused by intracranial growth are detected in the first 10 months of life.
Can hydrocephalus be cured without surgery?
There is currently no definitive cure. Most patients are managed by shunting using a silicone tube and valve system, where CSF is diverted from the cerebral ventricles to another body site [3].
Can a child with hydrocephalus live a normal life?
Though treatment is often helpful, it may take multiple surgeries to treat hydrocephalus. (Hydrocephalus is the most common reason for brain surgery in young children.) With treatment many people lead normal and productive lives.
Can hydrocephalus be seen on ultrasound?
Hydrocephalus can be detected using a normal ultrasound examination, which is typically performed throughout a woman’s pregnancy. During ultrasound screening, the technician may see pockets of fluid in the developing brain, indicating enlarged ventricles and the possible presence of hydrocephalus.
What are the three causes of hydrocephalus?
Possible causes of acquired hydrocephalus include: bleeding inside the brain – for example, if blood leaks over the surface of the brain (subarachnoid haemorrhage) blood clots in the brain (venous thrombosis) meningitis – an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
How do you deliver a baby with hydrocephalus?
If your baby’s head is enlarged due to hydrocephalus, you may need to deliver via cesarean section. After delivery, your baby may receive advanced medical care in our Level IV newborn intensive care unit (NICU).
How serious is fluid on the brain?
Hydrocephalus can permanently damage the brain, causing problems with physical and mental development. If untreated, it is usually fatal. With treatment, many people lead normal lives with few limitations. Treatment usually involves surgery to insert a shunt.
What does fluid on the brain indicate?
Lesions or tumors of the brain or spinal cord. Central nervous system infections, such as bacterial meningitis or mumps. Bleeding in the brain from a stroke or head injury. Other traumatic injury to the brain.
How long can you live with fluid on the brain?
The mortality rate for hydrocephalus and associated therapy ranges from 0 to 3%. This rate is highly dependent on the duration of follow-up care. The shunt event-free survival is approximately 70% at 12 months and is nearly half that at 10 years, post-operatively.
How do you fix fluid on the brain?
Based on the underlying etiology, the condition may be treated directly by removing the cause of CSF obstruction or indirectly by diverting the excess fluid. Hydrocephalus is most commonly treated indirectly by implanting a device known as a “shunt” to divert the excess CSF away from the brain.
Can you live a normal life with hydrocephalus?
Patients with adult-onset hydrocephalus also have success with surgery and ongoing management. Prompt treatment can reverse many cognitive and physical symptoms. Other patients have success after rehabilitation, such as speech or physical therapy. It is not uncommon for patients to go on to live normal lives.
Is fluid on the brain a disability?
When the symptoms of hydrocephalus can’t be controlled with surgery, disability benefits may be available if you can’t work. Hydrocephalus is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull that causes the brain to swell.