Symptoms of hydrocephalus in children that parents should watch out for

Data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia recorded that there were around 18 thousand children with congenital hydrocephalus in 2013, reported from Gadjah Mada University. This figure continues to increase from year to year, one of which is because parents are late in checking their children to the doctor. That is why, of course, you must know in advance what the signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus are in babies and children so that they can be treated as quickly as possible before it's too late.

What are the symptoms of hydrocephalus?

Hydrocephalus is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain cavity (ventricles), causing the brain to experience swelling.

Normally, this cerebrospinal fluid will flow through the brain and spinal cord and then be absorbed by the blood vessels. Under certain conditions, the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain can increase for various reasons, including:

Blockage in the brain or spinal cord
Blood vessels are unable to absorb cerebrospinal fluid
The brain produces so much cerebrospinal fluid that it is not able to be fully absorbed by the blood vessels

Almost all parts of the child's body will be affected by this one birth defect, ranging from developmental disorders to decreased children's intelligence.

If not treated immediately, this can cause brain damage and other health problems in sufferers, especially children.

Therefore, you as a parent should know the signs and symptoms that appear when a baby or child has hydrocephalus.

This is because although it can happen to anyone, hydrocephalus is more common in babies and children. In fact, in some cases, hydrocephalus can start to appear since the baby is born due to various causes.

Well, you probably already know that the most common symptom of hydrocephalus in children is an enlargement of the head size from a normal size.

However, the symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants and children tend to vary depending on their age. Here are the various signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants and children:

Signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in babies

Various symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants, both newborn and developing with age, include changes in the head and physical signs.

Change in the head

Some of the changes in the head that occur as symptoms of hydrocephalus in babies are as follows:

Rapidly increasing change in head circumference
The size of the head circumference is very large more than it should be
A prominent, highly visible point of a soft bulge (fontanelle) on top of the head
A thin, shiny scalp with easily visible venous blood flow

Physical signs and symptoms in the baby's body

Some of the physical changes that occur as symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants are as follows:

The eye looks or is stuck downward
Do not want to eat or decreased appetite
The baby is vomiting
Easily sleepy
Body spasms
Decreased muscle strength or a weakened baby's body
Babies cry, are fussy, or get angry easily
Body growth is not going well

Congenital or congenital hydrocephalus is sometimes found before the baby is born or during the mother's ultrasound examination (USG).

Signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus can vary according to age, disease progression of infants and children, to the condition of each baby and child's body in dealing with it.

Take, for example, an infant's ability to deal with increased pressure due to cerebrospinal fluid flow in the brain and enlargement of the head may differ from that of an adult.

However, in this infancy, either from the time of birth or after birth, the most visible symptom of hydrocephalus is the increasing size of the head circumference.

In fact, increasing the size of the head circumference can occur in a very short period of time and quickly.

Apart from changing the size of the baby's head circumference to above normal, other symptoms can also include vomiting, fussiness, and downward-looking eyes.

Signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in toddlers and children

Hydrocephalus can also be experienced by toddlers and children. Symptoms of hydrocephalus in toddlers and children can be observed from their physical, behavioral, and cognitive aspects.

Physical signs and symptoms

Some of the physical changes that occur as symptoms of hydrocephalus in toddlers and children are as follows:

Headache in children
Baby's vision is blurry or abnormal
Eyes looking down or glued down
An abnormally enlarged head circumference
Unstable body balance
Easily sleepy
Too much sleep
Sluggish body
Muscle spasms
Neck aches or pains
Slower growth
Decreased appetite
Poor body coordination
Urinary incontinence, difficulty holding back urination
Nausea or vomiting

Behavioral and cognitive changes

Some of the behavioral and cognitive changes that occur as symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants are as follows:

Difficulty concentrating
Irritable and cranky
Personality changes
Decreased ability at school
Experiencing delays or problems with abilities that have been able to do before, such as learning to walk and speak

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, children usually experience different signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus when compared to babies.

This is because the skulls of children do not enlarge in response to the accumulated cerebrospinal fluid.

On the other hand, the symptoms of hydrocephalus that occur in toddlers and children are severe headaches, especially when they just wake up in the morning.

This headache condition occurs because fluid in the brain does not flow smoothly when toddlers and children are lying down. In addition, this cerebrospinal fluid can also accumulate while your little one sleeps.

Headaches as a symptom of hydrocephalus are usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, blurred or double vision, balance problems, other changes.

In conditions like this, usually by sitting for a while, the headaches experienced by your little one can improve. However, after some time, your little one's headaches can continue.

When to see a doctor

It is important to understand the symptoms of hydrocephalus in children as early as possible. The sooner you find the symptoms, the sooner your child will get proper treatment from a doctor.

According to the Mayo Clinic, you are advised to immediately check the health conditions of the baby and child to the doctor when the following symptoms appear:

Babies and children scream in an unusually high tone
Having problems with sucking during breastfeeding
Experienced vomiting many times
Reluctant to move the head and refuse to lie down
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Body spasms

Doctors will perform a number of physical examinations on newborns and children to confirm symptoms.

This includes examining sunken eyes, body reflexes, soft bulges in the head, and the size of the child's head which tends to be larger than normal.

It is important for parents to seek medical help as soon as possible when they notice any signs and symptoms in babies, toddlers, or children.

One or more of the signs and symptoms listed above may be related to hydrocephalus. That is why you should immediately consult your baby to a doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment.