Patient's question:
The doctor said my baby has brain edema. I want to ask what are the early symptoms of brain edema in newborns?Doctor's answer:
The early symptoms of neonatal brain edema are headaches. It occurs because increased intracranial pressure stretches the meninges, blood vessels, and brain nerves, as well as stimulates them with inflammatory changes, leading to headaches. Initially, the headaches are intermittent, but they later develop into persistent ones, primarily affecting the forehead and both temporal sides. The severity varies, often worsening during coughing, sneezing, straining during bowel movements, bending over, or standing up. In severe cases of brain edema, there may be a tearing sensation. Infants and young children often cannot describe their headaches and may instead exhibit restlessness, loud crying, or even head banging. Sometimes, pressure on the vestibular nerve of the cochlea can cause tinnitus and vertigo. Due to the open fontanelles and suture lines in infants, intracranial pressure can be partially relieved, so headaches are often less severe than in adults.