Hydrocephalic syndrome in children (or hydrocephalus) is a violation of the formation, circulation or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which leads to an increase in the occupied volume by this fluid in the central nervous system. Also, this pathology can be considered a hydrodynamic disorder of CSF. There are three types of hydrocephalus: acute (develops for several days), subacute (within weeks), and chronic (weeks, months).
Hydrocephalic syndrome in children - causes
The causes of hydrocephalic-hypertensive syndrome in children can be divided into congenital and acquired.
Congenital causes include :
- abnormalities of brain development, which provoke stenosis (constriction) of the cerebral water pipeline and thereby make it difficult to move CSF from the place of its formation, to the site of its absorption. Is 10% of all causes of hydrocephalic syndrome in newborns;
- malformation of a dandy walker. It is 2-4% of the causes of hydrocephalic syndrome in newborns;
- the anomaly of arnold - kiari;
- congenital toxoplasmosis;
- biker-adams syndrome.
The acquired reasons include :
- volume brain formations account for 20% of all causes of hydrocephalic syndrome in children. Most often, the formations are tumorous (meduloblastoma, astrocytoma), but other causes are not excluded: cerebral abscess, cystic formations, hematomas;
- intraventricular bleeding, which is common in premature infants, as well as in birth or other craniocerebral trauma;
- infections - often with meningitis, mostly bacterial;
- increased venous pressure - with thrombosis of the brain;
- hypervitaminosis A - increases the formation of cerebrospinal fluid;
- idiopathic hydrocephalus - it is impossible to identify any cause of the development of this syndrome.
Hydrocephalic syndrome in children - symptoms
The clinical picture of the hydrocephalic syndrome is influenced by the following factors:
- age of the patient;
- cause;
- location of stenosis (or blockage of CSF outflow);
- duration (acute, subacute or chronic course).
Symptoms of hydrocephalic syndrome in newborns and infants :
- problems with feeding;
- nervousness;
- passivity;
- regurgitation with a "fountain" .
Signs of hypertensive hydrocephalic syndrome in older children:
- the slowing down of thought processes, the feeling that the child is "slowing down";
- morning headaches;
- vomiting, mostly in the morning;
- fuzzy vision, the feeling that everything "blurs before the eyes";
- double vision in the eyes;
- stop or slowdown of physical development. Premature puberty may also occur;
- spasticity of the muscles, which causes problems during walking;
- drowsiness.
Hydrocephalic syndrome in children - treatment
Treatment of hydrocephalic syndrome in children can be medicamentous and surgical.
Drug treatment is to reduce the formation of CSF or increase its absorption.
The type of surgical intervention is determined depending on the characteristics of the patient. Most often, operations are performed by the type of bypass, which significantly improve the quality of life of children with hydrocephalic syndrome.
Hydrocephalic syndrome in children - consequences
The consequences, or complications of hydrocephalus syndrome in children may be as follows:
1. Progression, which manifests itself as:
- changes in the eyesight of the child;
- mental development gap;
- urinary incontinence, feces ;
- violation of gait, difficulty in moving.
2. Consequences of drug treatment of hydrocephalic syndrome in children:
- electrolyte imbalance;
- metabolic acidosis.
3. Consequences of surgical treatment of hydrocephalic syndrome in children:
- hematomas;
- convulsions;
- intracranial pressure;
- infection.