Life expectancy for hydrocephalus in babies
A general statement about the life expectancy of a baby with hydrocephalus cannot be made. The prognosis and the course of the disease depends very much on the cause, the severity and the time of diagnosis of hydrocephalus. It is crucial that the therapy is adequate and timely.
In many cases, the insertion of a shunt allows a relatively complication-free development of the baby. In this case, the drainage of the cerebral fluid prevents damage caused by a permanent increased pressure on the brain. However, it can also happen that at the time of diagnosis parts of the brain have already been damaged by the increased pressure. The symptoms depend on the location of the brain damage and can be of varying severity. Since the therapy is quite good nowadays, a life with a hydrocephalus can be led relatively normally and babies hardly die from the consequences.
What are the long-term consequences of hydrocephalus?
Long-term consequences depend mainly on which brain structures are affected by hydrocephalus. The increased amount of water causes overpressure in the skull, which has a negative effect on the brain development of babies and can even lead to a decrease in brain mass, so that different areas of the brain are poorly developed. This generally leads to developmental delays and mental retardation.
In particular, the learning ability of babies is often affected, so that motor skills, such as delayed learning or not learning at all, can be learned. Language development can also be delayed. Hydrocephalus can also affect the babies’ social behavior and social learning ability. For this reason, early diagnosis and therapy is crucial to prevent any consequential damage.
- Rotate,
- Crawling,
- Sitting,
- Running
Baby’s hydrocephalus with spina bifida
Spina bifida is a malformation caused by a developmental disorder in the spinal column. This results in a bulge in the affected area of the spine. It is usually found in the lumbar vertebrae.
Spina bifida must be treated surgically. Approximately 80% of all babies with spina bifida also have hydrocephalus. These malformations often go hand in hand.
