Hydrocephalus

Statics

What is Hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus is a medical condition where there is too much fluid built up in the brain. The clear fluid is called cerebrospinal fluid. If there is too much cerebrospinal fluid it can cause spaces in the brain to become bigger. Dangerous pressure can form in the brain tissues.

Origin of the word Hydrocephalus

Hydro means water and cephalus means water in Greek. Formally known as water on the brain.

1 in 1,000 infants are born with hydrocephalus. Approximately 375,000 of American adults have Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. About .06% of the children in the United States admitted to the hospital are diagnosed with Hydrocephalus. Approximately 125,000 shunt operations take place in the United States annually.

Symptoms

Diagnosed

Depending on patient's age it will vary on the type of exam. Imaging tests include ultrasound, MRI, and CT.

Infants: larger head, vomiting, tiredness, moodiness, bulging fontanel, and seizures Children/ Adults: headaches, vomiting, nausea, vision problems, developmental progress slowing down, not able to urinate, sleepiness, and memory loss

Prevention
Not all instances of hydrocephalus can be prevented, but measures can be taken to reduce the risks.

Treatments

Receive prenatal care to prevent premature labor. Prevent illnesses, such as meningitis, by getting vaccinated and obtaining regular checkups. To prevent head injuries, make sure baby equipment is properly set up. Children and adults should wear helmets on bikes, motorcycle, snowboards, etc. Everyone should wear seatbelts. Younger children should be in car seats and booster seats depending on age and size.

Shunt operation is the most typical treatment. A tube is connected to the ventricle in the brain and routed to a part of the body such as abdomen or chamber of the heart. Very few can get the ventriculostomy procedure. Using a small camera the doctor makes a hole at the bottom of a ventricles to allow the cerebrospinal fluid to stream out of the brain.

Hydrocephalus
Research

Prevention, treatment, and in the end trying to find a cure. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and National Institutes of Health give out grants to leading medical research institutions all around the United States. The first NIH research center on hydrocephalus was the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network.

Success is determined not by whether or not you face obstacles, but by your reaction to them. And if you look at these obstacles as a containing fence, they become your excuse for failure. If you look at them as a hurdle, each one strengthens you for the next. - Dr, Ben Carson

Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you're needed by someone.Martina Navratilova

Resources
Children's Hydrocephalus Support Group Lori Poliski/Paul Gross P.O. Box 1611 Woodinville, WA 98071 425-482-0479 (Lori Poliski) Website: http:// www.hydrosupport.org Email: lpoliski@hydrosupport.org Hydrocephalus Association 4340 East West Hwy. Suite 908 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-202-3811 888-598-3789 Website: http:// www.hydroassoc.org E-Mail: info@hydroassoc.org

References
Chumas, P., Tyagi, A., & Livingston, J. (2001). Hydrocephalus-what's new? Retrieved from http:// search.proquest.com.ezproxy.aacc.edu/education/ docview/196852218/A202D5982D944586PQ/16? accountid=40680 Mayo Clinic Staff (2011, September 13). Hydrocephalus Treatment at Mayo Clinic - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ hydrocephalus/basics/treatment/con-20030706 National Hydrocephalus Foundation (2012). Resources for Hydrocephalus | National Hydrocephalus Foundation | NHFOnline.org. Retrieved from http://www.nhfonline.org/resources.htm NINDS (2013, May). Hydrocephalus Fact Sheet: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hydrocephalus/detail_hydroc ephalus.htm

Lindsey Allen EDU 214 Professor Jennifer Lara Spring 2014