Does your baby have water in his head? Let's talk about Congenital Hydrocephalus

Did the doctor tell you that your baby's head is a little bigger than normal? Or did a scan during pregnancy reveal that there is a little more fluid in the baby's brain? It's normal for any mother or father to feel scared and overwhelmed when hearing something like this. But don't worry. Today we're talking about a condition called ' hydrocephalus '. Let's talk about this simply, in a way that everyone can understand.

What is Hydrocephalus?

When you hear this name, some people think that it is a disease in which the brain fills with water. The name itself is a combination of the words "water" and "head". But in fact, this is not water. This is a very important fluid that circulates around our brain and spinal cord. We medically call this Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) .

Simply put, think of the system inside our brain as a water basin. On one side, this CSF fluid is constantly being produced, and on the other side, it is being absorbed and excreted by the body. There needs to be a good balance between the rate at which this is produced and the rate at which it is absorbed by the body.

In the case of hydrocephalus, for some reason this balance is disrupted and CSF fluid begins to accumulate inside the brain. As the fluid accumulates, pressure inside the brain increases and the baby's head can become enlarged.

The word "congenital" means that the condition is present in the baby from birth .

Why does this happen to babies? What are the reasons?

There are three main reasons why this CSF fluid can accumulate inside the brain:

1. Increased fluid production: The ventricles inside the brain produce more CSF fluid than necessary.

2. Blockage in the flow of fluid: A blockage somewhere in the paths through which the produced fluid flows. This is the most common cause.

3. Reduced fluid absorption into the body: Fluid that flows out is not properly absorbed back into the blood.

Congenital hydrocephalus can be caused by genetic factors, as well as by certain conditions that occur during the mother's pregnancy . Let's look at some of the main causes in the table below.

How do doctors diagnose this condition?

Often, doctors can detect changes in the baby's brain development, such as slightly enlarged ventricles, during routine ultrasound scans during your pregnancy.

If a scan shows something like that, the doctor may order further tests to investigate it more clearly.

• MRI scan: This allows for a very detailed look at the baby's brain development .
• Amniotic fluid testing: A small sample of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby while it is in the womb can be taken to test the baby's chromosomes.
• Family medical history: It is also important for the doctor to know if anyone in your family has had conditions such as neural tube defects.

What are the treatments for this?

Although this condition is diagnosed while the baby is still in the womb, treatment usually begins after the baby is born.

There are two main treatment methods.

1. Installing a Shunt System:

This is the most common treatment. In this procedure, a very thin, flexible plastic tube is surgically inserted from the point where CSF fluid collects in the baby's brain, under the skin, into a place like the baby's abdomen. The extra fluid that collects in the brain then passes through the tube and collects in the abdomen, where it is safely absorbed by the body.

2. ETV (Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy) Surgery:

This is another treatment method. Here, a small camera with fiber-optic technology is used to go inside the brain and make a small hole in a ventricle of the brain to bypass the blockage in the path of the fluid. The fluid then flows through the hole and is absorbed into the body.

What happens after treatment?

The future of a baby born with hydrocephalus depends on the cause of the disease and several other factors.

After shunt systems are installed, they need to be monitored regularly by a doctor . The shunt may need to be replaced or other surgeries may be needed as the baby grows. Problems with the shunt can include:

• Infections
• The pipe is clogged.
• Mechanical failure
• The tube becomes insufficient as the baby grows.

There are also some risks with ETV surgery. There is a risk of the hole being closed suddenly, which can be life-threatening. There are also risks such as infection, fever, and bleeding.

Even with treatment, this condition can have an impact on a child's physical and intellectual development. Therefore, the child may need rehabilitation, special education , etc. However, with proper medical supervision and parental love and care , many children can live normal, happy lives with a few minor limitations. So take heart.