Patient's question:
Doctor, since last week, I've noticed nystagmus. Some people say it could be hydrocephalus in children. How can it be confirmed?Doctor's answer:
Compared to adults, the risk of hydrocephalus in children varies depending on the patient's age of onset. In infants with acute hydrocephalus, symptoms of intracranial hypertension are typically pronounced. The skull is fractured, the fontanelles are bulging, the scalp is thin, and the scalp veins are clearly visible, with the child appearing irritable. When the head is exposed to bright light, the skull emits a glow. At the top of the percussion instruments, a solid drum sound is known as the Macewen sign. The affected children are prone to irritability, apathy, poor appetite, and continuously high-pitched, short, and abnormal crying. The two eyes are in a downward gaze position, with no accompanying drooping of the upper eyelids. The lower part of the eyeballs sink below the lower eyelid margins, with some cornea located below the temporal lower margin. Above, the sclera appears white, also known as the sunset phenomenon.