When I was young I had congenital hydrocephalus, does it have affect in the later part of my life?

Question

I searched about hydrocephalus, but i haven't got a clue

well you see..my parents didn't want to put a shunt..coz..it may have affect on my body if they will put that thing..i just want to live normal like others..

Answer 1

Congenital hydrocephalus is a buildup of excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the brain that is present at birth. The excess fluid can increase pressure in the baby's brain, possibly resulting in brain damage and loss of mental and physical abilities. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is important to help limit serious long-term problems. But long-term effects of congenital hydrocephalus mostly depend on what causes it, how bad it gets, and how a baby responds to treatment.

Being a parent of a child with congenital hydrocephalus can be full of challenges. Although many children who are diagnosed and treated early avoid severe long-term problems, it can be difficult to handle the uncertainty of whether symptoms will return. Also, congenital hydrocephalus sometimes causes brain damage that impacts your child's physical or mental abilities. Take good care of yourself so you have the energy to take proper care of and enjoy your child.


If you have no long term problems from this congenital hydrocephalus at birth, then most likely, you're one of the very few lucky ones to survive. Most likely, the drs caught it in time and relieve the pressure via the use of an A-V shunt and use of medications to lessen swelling.


Try the different links below for more info on this topic:

http://health.yahoo.com/topic/nervous/overview/article/healthwise/hw198129



RESULTSHydrocephalus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Living with congenital hydrocephalus at Associated Content ... Encephalocele - Microcephaly - Congenital hydrocephalus (Dandy-Walker syndrome) ...
Quick Links: History - Epidemiology - Pathology
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocephalus - 76k - Cached

Hydrocephalus
... Hospital treats patients with many congenital and acquired diseases of childhood ... Most cases of congenital hydrocephalus are thought to be caused by a complex ...www.hmc.psu.edu/pediatricneurosurgery/services/hydrocephalus.htm - 18k - Cached

Congenital Hydrocephalus-Topic Overview
Congenital hydrocephalus is a buildup of excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the brain that is present at birth. ... of congenital hydrocephalus. ...children.webmd.com/tc/congenital-hydrocephalus-topic-overview - 99k - Cached

MedlinePlus: Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus ... two kinds of hydrocephalus. Congenital hydrocephalus is present at ... An unusually large head is the main sign of congenital hydrocephalus. ...www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hydrocephalus.html - 47k - Cached

What is Congenital Hydrocephalus? - Associated Content
Check out What is Congenital Hydrocephalus? - Submitted by Kori Rodley Irons at Associated Content ... Congenital hydrocephalus is an abnormality of the ...associatedcontent.com/.../82403/what_is_congenital_hydrocephalus.html - 44k - Cached


Hydrocephalus Information Page: National Institute of Neurological ...
Hydrocephalus information sheet compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) ... Hydrocephalus may be congenital or acquired. ...www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hydrocephalus/hydrocephalus.htm - 24k - Cached


Congenital Hydrocephalus Topic Overview, Eastern Carolina
Congenital Hydrocephalus Topic Overview - University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina serves tarboro, ahoskie, edento, winsor, maxhead, dear county, outebanks ...www.uhseast.com/145106.cfm - 51k - Cached


Medtronic: Stenosis is the most common cause of congenital hydrocephalus
There are two main types of hydrocephalus, acquired and congenital. ... Obstruction, or Stenosis, is the most common cause of congenital hydrocephalus. ...www.medtronic.com/hydrocephalus/causes.html - 16k - Cached


Congenital Hydrocephalus-Treatment Overview
Treatment for congenital hydrocephalus focuses on lowering the amount of ... the long-term effects of congenital hydrocephalus depend largely on the cause of ...children.webmd.com/tc/congenital-hydrocephalus-treatment-overview - 99k - Cached

CIGNA - Congenital Hydrocephalus
Congenital hydrocephalus is a buildup of excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within ... What are the different types of congenital hydrocephalus? ...www.cigna.com/healthinfo/hw198127.html

Answer 2

Your condition has led a British neurologist to ask the question, "Is the brain really necessary?" His name is Professor John Lorber and he performed numerous studies on hydrocephalics. He found the actual amount of brain matter is reduced from what is found in normal people, but that these people, who had successful shunt operations, actually showed an above average IQ. I have not been able to find copies of his published papers but you may have better luck than me. Lorber conducted his research between 1960 and 1980 and presented his paper at a paediatricians conference in 1980.
You may also like to look at a book called "The Mind" by Anthony Smith. Around page 230 you will find some interesting information about Hydrocephalus and maybe some more references.
From memory, because I no longer have these papers, they mention a man who obtained a Masters in Mathematics, and the fact that there was very little evidence of normal brain activity on EEG but obviously he had all the mental faculties to walk, talk, study, learn and perform all normal activities.
Good luck with your search, you may be a genius in disguise, only you can tell!

Answer 3

As long as you had a shunt put in to get rid of the excess fluid on your brain, you should be fine. Without a shunt you could have ended up blind, or mentally retarded.