Patient's question:
My child is now one year old. Previous check-ups revealed mild hydrocephalus. There have been no obvious abnormalities observed in daily life, but the child frequently bangs their head, sometimes hitting their head with whatever they have in their hands, or just hitting with their hands. At times, they bang into walls or sofas, hitting whatever is nearby. Of course, this doesn't happen all day, just occasionally. Is this a symptom of hydrocephalus?Doctor's answer:
Clinical manifestations are not consistent and are related to the age of onset of pathological changes, the severity of the pathology, and the duration of the course. Congenital hydrocephalus in fetuses is often lethal. Hydrocephalus may appear at any age after birth, usually occurring within 6 months postnatally. In younger patients, the cranial sutures have not yet fused, making the skull more prone to expansion, and thus symptoms of increased intracranial pressure are less common. Hydrocephalus primarily manifests as rapid and progressive enlargement of the head within weeks or months after birth. In normal infants, the head circumference increases by 1.2-1.3 cm per month during the first six months of life, whereas in this condition, the increase is 2-3 times greater. The head appears round with a prominent forehead, abnormal enlargement of the cranial vault, an enlarged and bulging anterior fontanelle, separated sutures, thinning of the skull bones, and even translucency. A "cracked pot" sound (Macee) may be detected upon percussion. Dilated veins are observed in the temporal and frontal regions, and the eyes may appear downward-rotated with the sclera often exposed (). The affected infants are lethargic and unable to lift their heads. Severe cases may be accompanied by brain dysfunction,、、、、。 Due to the compensatory enlargement of the infant's head, symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and papilledema are not prominent.