Hydrocephalus (patient information)

Hydrocephalus
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Hydrocephalus?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
(Condition) On the Web
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
Images of Hydrocephalus
Videos on Hydrocephalus
FDA on Hydrocephalus
CDC on Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus in the news
Blogs on Hydrocephalus
Directions to Hospitals Treating Hydrocephalus
Risk calculators and risk factors for Hydrocephalus

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant-Editor-In-Chief: Meagan E. Doherty

Overview

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the brain swells due to a build up of fluid inside the skull. Hydrocephalus literally means "water on the brain." Hydrocephalus is dangerous and requires immediate medical attention. 60% of people who do not seek medical treatment die.

What are the symptoms of Hydrocephalus?

Symptoms of Hydrocephalus can vary from person to person and usually depend on age, severity, and cause.

Infants:

• Bulging soft spot ([fontanelle])
• Larger than normal head size
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Constant tiredness
• Irritability

Older children:

• Headache
• Irritability
• Tantrums

Where to find medical care for Hydrocephalus?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Hydrocephalus

Sources

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001571.htm