Patient's question:
What causes hydrocephalus in children? We noticed that the child's head seemed abnormally large, significantly bigger than that of other children, and he was always crying. When we took him to the doctor for a thorough examination, it was found to be hydrocephalus. We were truly shocked to hear this—how could such a young child have hydrocephalus?Doctor's answer:
Congenital hydrocephalus, where the circulation and excretion of cerebrospinal fluid are impaired, leads to excessive cerebrospinal fluid accumulating in the ventricles of the brain or in the subarachnoid space within the skull, which is termed hydrocephalus. It is often accompanied by increased intracranial pressure. Infant hydrocephalus is one of the two common types, most frequently occurring in infants under two years of age. The main characteristic of congenital hydrocephalus is a progressive decrease in head circumference. The head circumference may begin to decrease within weeks or months after birth, or it may be significantly larger than normal at birth. It is recommended that you seek timely treatment at a regular hospital to avoid delaying the condition.