How to treat hydrocephalus

The cause of hydrocephalus in a newborn baby may be migrated to a pregnant woman infection (herpes, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus infection). The fruit is a metabolic cerebrospinal fluid and its excessive formation, resulting in increased intracranial pressure. Acquired hydrocephalus develops as a result of head injury, chronic intoxication, but also after suffering meningitis and meningoencephalitis, and stroke.

Increased intracranial pressure is manifested in different ways in children under 2 years of age and older. In young children the first symptom is the enlarged head and the changing shape of the skull. As fontanelles still not healed, the bones of the skull apart due to the fact that the brain begins to increase in volume. It is therefore necessary to regularly measure the head circumference of the child, this is usually done by the pediatrician during the inspection.

Another symptom of hydrocephalus is wibehouse, greatly increased in size and pulsing the large Fontanelle. Normally it should close to a year, but in this disease it can stay open until 2-3 years. The bones of the skull become thin, increasing the forehead, the skin of the face and forehead there is a vascular network.

The child begins to lag behind in development from their peers, not holding the head, poor sitting or walking, fussy, whiny and lethargic. Have a sick child increased muscle tone, in severe cases, may experience seizures.

In older children the bones of the skull grow, so has hydrocephalus and other symptoms. The first and most frequent symptom is headaches accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Attacks of pain and nausea often in the morning and night, nothing to do with the meal. Often these symptoms are taken for poisonings, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and the child begins too late to get the right treatment.

Other symptoms of hydrocephalus are visual disturbances, endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism, retarded growth, premature sexual development), seizures type of epilepsy, increased muscle tone, poor performance in school. The diagnosis is based on clinical, fundus examination, the most reliable method is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Treatment for hydrocephalus often is surgery, the most common operation is bypass. The fluid from the ventricles of the brain is diverted into the other cavity (in the abdominal cavity or the heart) where it is absorbed. This is done using a special silicone catheters. In 10% of cases is endoscopic ventriculostomy, there is no need to use a shunt system. During this operation using the endoscope creates a circuitous path for outflow of fluid from the ventricles of the brain.

Because of drugs for long-term use is assigned to "Diacarb". It is the only drug that reduces production of cerebrospinal fluid. It is used in cases where there is no obvious disease progression, and patients not operated. Cardiovascular drugs, nootropics, homeopathic remedies for intracranial pressure have no effect and are often prescribed unnecessarily.