Ever heard of hydrocephalus ? Know the Causes of Hydrocephalus (Enlarged Head) that Occurs in Many Children

Hydrocephalus is a disorder characterized by an increase in the size of the head due to a buildup of fluid in the brain. The most common cases occur in newborns due to several reasons that are often overlooked during pregnancy checks. Whereas in adults or children, it can occur due to an injury.

Basically, the presence of fluid in the brain is natural and even considered very important because it can protect the brain from injury, maintain pressure on the brain, and remove metabolic waste. However, when it is excessive and there is continuous accumulation, the function eventually becomes unbalanced and makes the head size large.

Causes of hydrocephalus

In the brain, there is a clear fluid that is produced in the cavity of the ventricles. This fluid, which is then called cerebrospinal fluid, should flow from the spinal cord throughout the brain to support various brain functions.

The presence of fluid in the brain basically also has a very important role apart from protecting the brain from injury, such as keeping the brain fresh, eliminating residual metabolic products in the brain, and maintaining pressure in the brain.

However, when the amount of fluid in the brain exceeds its normal size, it will actually pose a medical hazard, namely permanent damage to brain tissue, which causes disruption of the child's physical and intellectual development. This condition also occurs because cerebrospinal fluid cannot flow properly in the brain.

This fluid buildup eventually makes the head bigger and presses on the skull. The body's balance was eventually disrupted.
Fluid in the brain that accumulates cannot just happen. There are several things that trigger this abnormal condition, namely:

● Fluid in the brain that is not maximally absorbed by the blood vessels

● There is a blockage in the spine or brain

● Too much fluid is produced in the brain so that the blood vessels cannot absorb it optimally.

Enlargement of the size of the head, or hydrocephalus, cannot just happen. There are several reasons that trigger it, including infection during pregnancy, rubella, syphilis, mumps, and toxoplasma. However, if hydrocephalus occurs after birth, it can usually occur due to severe brain injury, inflammation of the brain, brain tumors, or inflammation of the lining of the brain.

Hydrocephalus Symptoms

In medical cases, hydrocephalus often occurs in newborns. Apart from the appearance of an abnormal head size like that of babies in general, other symptoms of this disease are :

• The baby's skin looks thin, so the blood vessels can be seen clearly.

• Have recurrent seizures

• Irregular breathing

• The baby seems unresponsive to the surrounding environment or always looks sleepy

• Babies have developmental delays

• Feet and hands continue to contract

Meanwhile, if hydrocephalus occurs in children or adults, the symptoms that appear include :

• Crossed eyes

• hard to eat

• severe headache

• Unstable body balance

• Loss of muscle coordination

• Blurred vision

• Easily angered

• Impaired cognitive abilities

• Difficulty concentrating

• Nausea and vomiting

• Muscle spasms

Hydrocephalus Treatment

Hydrocephalus is a type of disease that can still be treated medically, even though it has to go through a very long and lengthy process. To reduce or get rid of the amount of fluid in the brain that makes the head enlarge, the only way is surgery. Several types of surgery in the treatment of hydrocephalus include :

1. Shunt installation surgery is a series of medical operations that involve installing a special tool called a shunt. This tool is in the form of a tube that the surgeon attaches to the head to drain the cerebrospinal fluid to other parts of the body and have it absorbed by the blood vessels.

The part of the body that is often chosen is the abdominal cavity. So that absorption can be maximized, this shunt is assisted by a valve that functions to control the flow of fluid so that the presence of fluid in the brain can be controlled.

2. Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) surgery, which is an operation with a procedure for removing cerebrospinal fluid by creating a new absorption hole on the surface of the brain,

This procedure is mostly done to treat hydrocephalus due to blockage of the brain in the ventricles. The purpose of this operation is to ensure that brain fluid does not accumulate in one particular location and can be spread evenly in all parts of the brain.

In the case of hydrocephalus, prevention can also be carried out by pregnant women so that children who are born will be born normally and adults can avoid hydrocephalus. Prevention that can be done includes :

• Conduct routine pregnancy checks.

• When driving, always fasten the seat belt.

• To protect the head, always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle

Hydrocephalus is a very complex medical case. In handling it, many doctors can involve experts because it involves various organs in the body. The treatment is long, and through long and varied procedures, it cannot return things to normal like children who are born normal. However, this action will reduce the effects caused by the accumulation of fluid in the brain.

Friends of Hermina can consult neurosurgery with hospital specialists nearest Hermina, or you can consult online through the Halo Hermina application.