Be aware of the symptoms of hydrocephalus in our children

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Hydrocephalus is a disease that attacks the brain organ . Hydrocephalus patients experienced a buildup of fluid in the brain which results in increased pressure on the brain . If not treated immediately , this pressure can damage tissue and weaken the function of the brain .

Hydrocephalus can affect people at any age, but the disease usually affects infants and the elderly. Based on the symptoms, the disease hydrocephalus can be classified into three types.

• Congenital hydrocephalus. This condition occurs since the new baby is born. Infants with congenital hydrocephalus, the head will look very big. Fontanelle fontanelle or they would look bloated and tense. Due to the baby's scalp is still thin, then inflate it makes the veins of the head to be seen clearly. Infants with hydrocephalus, had eyes that looks like to look down and leg muscles look stiff and prone to seizures. Symptoms of congenital hydrocephalus the other is drowsiness, nausea, irritability, and difficulty eating. 

• Hydrocephalus obtained or acquired. This condition suffered by children and adults. In addition patients will experience nausea and neck pain, headache, will also appear. The headache is usually very pronounced in the morning, after waking up. Other symptoms of this type of hydrocephalus are drowsiness, blurred vision, confusion, difficult to hold urinary or bowel incontinence, and difficulty walking. If not treated, this condition can lead to coma and even death. 

• With normal pressure hydrocephalus. This condition is commonly experienced by seniors. Patients will have difficulty moving your feet, so some of them were forced to drag my feet to run. Other symptoms are urinary control chaotic marked by difficult to hold urine or often feel like urinating. In addition to the physical, normal pressure hydrocephalus also have an impact on the patient's ability to think. They can be hard to digest information and slow to respond to the situations or questions.

Immediately consult the baby, child, or yourself to the doctor if you see or feel the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Especially in infants suffering from congenital hydrocephalus, if not handled properly, in the long term this condition can lead to complications such as:

• Impaired coordination.
• Epilepsy
• Impaired vision.
• Memory loss.
• Difficulty learning..
• Speech disorders.
• Difficulty concentrating and attention easily distracted.

Causes of hydrocephalus
In our brain are called cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid serves as a provider of nutrients the brain needs in order to continue to work well. This fluid also serves as the cleaning of waste derived from the metabolism of the brain, protecting the brain from injury, keeping the brain floats in position, and prevents changes in pressure on the brain.

Each day the lining tissue of the brain routinely produces cerebrospinal fluid. Liquids that are not used and then disposed of the body after being absorbed by the blood vessels.

Although the health benefits of brain, cerebrospinal fluid could backfire, and backfire brain. This condition occurs when the amount of fluid produced greater than discarded. This is called hydrocephalus, the increased volume of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

Some of the triggers of the disease hydrocephalus include:

• Poor absorption mechanisms of fluid due to inflammation or injury to the brain.
• Obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid flow due to abnormalities in the nervous system.
• Infection of the fetus while still in the womb that causes inflammation in the brain tissue of the fetus.
• Bleeding in the brain.
• Brain tumor.
• Severe head injury.
• Stroke.

The diagnosis of hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus disease screening is usually done by a neurologist. The doctor will perform a number of simple checks, such as checking physical characteristics, coordination and balance the patient, checking the power of hearing, eyesight, sense of touch power, and check the tone, strength, and muscle reflexes. There is also the possibility that the doctor will examine the psychological condition of the patient.

To further ensure a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain or ascertain whether there are other conditions that cause similar symptoms with hydrocephalus, a doctor can perform a brain scan. The procedure is done by:

• CT scan. Usually used as an emergency examination of the disease hydrocephalus. Through CT scans, brain cross sectional images can be produced with X-ray technology.
• MRI scan. These checks aim to obtain detailed images of the brain using a magnetic field and radio waves.
• USG. These checks are relatively safe and low risk. Therefore, ultrasound is often used as an initial screening to detect hydrocephalus in a fetus or infant already born.

treatment of hydrocephalus
The main treatment of hydrocephalus is through surgery with the aim of removing excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. One type of surgery to deal with hydrocephalus is the installation of shunt surgery.

Shunt is a special instrument shaped hose paired by the surgeon into the head with the purpose of draining cerebrospinal fluid to other body parts for further absorbed by the blood vessels. Body parts are often selected as the flow of cerebrospinal fluid is the abdominal cavity. Shunt equipped with a valve which controls the flow so that the presence of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain does not recede too quickly.

Shunt paired in infants and children generally need to be replaced as they grow to match up with their bigger bodies. It is estimated that as many as two times a shunt installation procedure will be performed on children before they turn 10 years of age.

Other types of hydrocephalus handling operation is endoscopic third ventriculostomy or ETV abbreviated. In contrast to the installation of shunt surgery, the ETV procedure, cerebrospinal fluid discharged by creating a new absorption holes in the surface of the brain. This procedure is usually applied in cases of hydrocephalus triggered by blockage of the ventricles of the brain.

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The side effects of treatment of hydrocephalus
Operation proven effective in treating hydrocephalus. However, it is not likely this procedure may cause side effects in the future. For example the installation of shunt surgery, side effects that are usually caused by damage or blockage of the tool itself. This is reasonable because the shunt is a tool made of soft fabric material is susceptible to problems.

For more details, here are some side effects that can occur after shunt installation procedure.

• Infection. This condition is relatively common, especially a few months after surgery. Symptoms of post-installation of shunt infection include nausea, headache, stiff neck, fever, and pain around the shunt path. In children, they will often sleepy or fussy. If the infection is not too severe, the doctor will usually only prescribe antibiotics. However, if alarming, shunt replacement surgery may be required.
• Blockage If the shunt is blocked, then the back of cerebrospinal fluid can accumulate in the brain. This condition should be treated because it can cause brain damage. In infants, the side effects will be easily recognizable physical characteristics, such as swelling of the head back. In addition to swelling, symptoms of shunt obstruction others are nausea, headache, drowsiness, confusion, and the worst is a comma. Just as infection, blockage of the shunt is usually treated with surgery to shunt damaged.
• Changing the position Sometimes shunt installed is not in the right position and of course this can cause problems. In children, especially infants, positioning shunt that one can make a cerebrospinal fluid leak into the side of the interval. If they have a wound in the skin, the liquid will come out through the wound. Positioning shunt in the head must be done carefully. Otherwise, it can cause side effects, such as bleeding, neurological disorders, or seizures.

In addition to the installation of shunt surgery, side effects can also occur postoperative endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). Some side effects include:

• Nerve problems that include a decrease in the function of one side of the body, hormonal imbalance, double vision, or even epilepsy.
• Bleeding in the brain.
• Damage to brain vessels.
• Infection.
• The failure of the brain to absorb cerebrospinal fluid.
• Recapped hole absorption of cerebrospinal fluid.

In the case of closing the hole absorption of cerebrospinal fluid ever created, the physician can handle it by performing the operation ETV. But if the operation ETV still not able to treat hydrocephalus, chances are your doctor will switch to the installation of shunt surgery.

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