Dangerous complications of hydrocephalus

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Bui Ngoc Phuong Hoa - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Hydrocephalus is one of the complex diseases in children. If not detected and treated early, the disease can cause many serious complications, affecting the health and normal development of children.

Hydrocephalus is an excess of a type of fluid in the brain that is technically called cerebrospinal fluid. This excess causes the baby's head to grow bigger and bigger and damage the brain parenchyma. This condition, if not detected and treated promptly, will leave many complications that are difficult to recover.

The phenomenon of neonatal hydrocephalus is recognized when the baby's head grows abnormally fast. The anterior fontanel is more dilated and stretched, the scalp blood vessels are also dilated than usual, the child's forehead is very wide, the eyes are usually in a downward looking position, creating the sign of the setting sun (when seeing this sign, it means that the severe, the child can go blind and have severe brain damage).

If early surgery is not performed to relieve pressure in the brain, hydrocephalus will directly damage the central nervous system, so it will leave many serious sequels such as meningitis, blindness, deafness, paralysis, and slowness. psychomotor development, epilepsy.
However, the good news is that hydrocephalus can be detected while the fetus is still in the womb with the help of ultrasound, and after birth, brain ultrasound is a very effective means of screening. this disease.

Although the complications of hydrocephalus are serious, if detected early and treated with appropriate methods will bring positive results. It was previously believed that hydrocephalus was an incurable disease. However, through practice, many patients have found that many cases of hydrocephalus can be cured. Children can go to school and learn like other normal children.
Parents need to closely observe the child's daily expressions to recognize the earliest signs of hydrocephalus in their children. When a child has had hydrocephalus, in order to increase the survival prognosis, parents need to take their child to the doctor and get treatment as soon as possible.
Master. Doctor Bui Ngoc Phuong Hoa has more than 24 years of experience in the field of neuropsychology. Doctor Hoa was formerly Deputy Head of the Department of Neurology - Quang Ngai Provincial General Hospital and participated in many continuous training courses on Epilepsy, Cerebrovascular Accident, Alzheimer's, Movement Disorders, Geriatrics. Endocrine Pathology.