The three causes of hydrocephalus are brain injury, meningitis and bleeding inside the brain.
Babies can also be born with hydrocephalus at birth through genetic conditions.
The length of time it takes for hydrocephalus to develop can depend on the age of the person such as with babies hydrocephalus can be present at birth and develop over a few months or in children and adults hydrocephalus can develop over a year or even several years.
Hydrocephalus can sometimes go untreated for years in adults although in some cases untreated hydrocephalus can be fatal within a year or less.
It depends on how bad the hydrocephalus condition is.
Either way if hydrocephalus is left untreated it will result in death.
Hydrocephalus or normal pressure hydrocephalus can cause dementia and is one of the few things that can cause dementia which can be reversed or controlled with treatment.
The 4 types of hydrocephalus include communicating hydrocephalus, non-communicating hydrocephalus, normal pressure hydrocephalus and hydrocephalus ex-vacuo.
The most obvious symptoms of hydrocephalus is gait disturbance which can range from inability to stand or walk at all or a mild imbalance.
Other symptoms of hydrocephalus are.
Poor Coordination.
Unstable Balance.
Headache.
Double or blurred vision.
Nausea or vomiting.
Abnormal eye movements.
sleepiness or sluggishness.
Abnormal enlargement of a toddler's head.
Hydrocephalus is not a brain tumor although hydrocephalus can be caused by a brain tumor or cyst.
The condition of hydrocephalus occurs when the delicate balance of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cycling is disrupted.
When the balance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cycling is disrupted it's because of the CSF fluid being overproduced and not absorbed properly or because it's blocked by an obstruction such as a brain tumor.
Tumors in the ventricles (intraventricular tumors), can sometimes grow large enough to cause blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, resulting in hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus is the abnormal buildup of fluid that is in the ventricles (cavities) which are deep within the brain.
This excess fluid buildup then causes the ventricles to widen which puts pressure on the brain's tissues.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the clear, colorless fluid that protects and cushions the brain and spine.
Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition that can be controlled, but usually not cured.
However with the appropriate early treatment, 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.
The symptoms of hydrocephalus include.
Nausea and vomiting.
Sleepiness or sluggishness (lethargy)
Irritability.
Poor eating.
Seizures.
Eyes fixed downward (sunsetting of the eyes)
Problems with muscle tone and strength.
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain.
The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it.
If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal.
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.
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.
Early diagnosis and successful treatment improve the chance for a good recovery.
With the benefits of surgery, rehabilitative therapies, and educational interventions, many people with hydrocephalus live relatively normal lives.
The four main types of hydrocephalus are communicating hydrocephalus, non-communicating hydrocephalus, normal pressure hydrocephalus and hydrocephalus ex-vacuo.
Communicating hydrocephalus occurs when the flow of CSF is blocked after it leaves your ventricles.
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical insertion of a drainage system, called a shunt.
It consists of a long, flexible tube with a valve that keeps fluid from the brain flowing in the right direction and at the proper rate.
One end of the tubing is usually placed in one of the brain's ventricles.
The signs that your child has hydrocephalus are a larger than usual head size or rapid increase in the head size and circumference.
Other signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in a child are seizures, eyes that constantly glaze downwards, irritability, vomiting and sleepiness.
The length of time it takes for hydrocephalus to develop can depend on the age of the person such as with babies hydrocephalus can be present at birth and develop over a few months or in children and adults hydrocephalus can develop over a year or even several years.
Hydrocephalus can sometimes go untreated for years in adults although in some cases untreated hydrocephalus can be fatal within a year or less.
It depends on how bad the hydrocephalus condition is.
Either way if hydrocephalus is left untreated it will result in death.
Hydrocephalus or normal pressure hydrocephalus can cause dementia and is one of the few things that can cause dementia which can be reversed or controlled with treatment.
The 4 types of hydrocephalus include communicating hydrocephalus, non-communicating hydrocephalus, normal pressure hydrocephalus and hydrocephalus ex-vacuo.
The most obvious symptoms of hydrocephalus is gait disturbance which can range from inability to stand or walk at all or a mild imbalance.
Other symptoms of hydrocephalus are.
Poor Coordination.
Unstable Balance.
Headache.
Double or blurred vision.
Nausea or vomiting.
Abnormal eye movements.
sleepiness or sluggishness.
Abnormal enlargement of a toddler's head.
Hydrocephalus is not a brain tumor although hydrocephalus can be caused by a brain tumor or cyst.
The condition of hydrocephalus occurs when the delicate balance of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cycling is disrupted.
When the balance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cycling is disrupted it's because of the CSF fluid being overproduced and not absorbed properly or because it's blocked by an obstruction such as a brain tumor.
Tumors in the ventricles (intraventricular tumors), can sometimes grow large enough to cause blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, resulting in hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus is the abnormal buildup of fluid that is in the ventricles (cavities) which are deep within the brain.
This excess fluid buildup then causes the ventricles to widen which puts pressure on the brain's tissues.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the clear, colorless fluid that protects and cushions the brain and spine.
Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition that can be controlled, but usually not cured.
However with the appropriate early treatment, 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.
The symptoms of hydrocephalus include.
Nausea and vomiting.
Sleepiness or sluggishness (lethargy)
Irritability.
Poor eating.
Seizures.
Eyes fixed downward (sunsetting of the eyes)
Problems with muscle tone and strength.
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain.
The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it.
If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal.
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.
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.