My son is 16 months old, and has hydrocephalus. He had a shunt placed last week. Is anyone familiar with this?
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Yes -- A friend's daughter has hydrocephalus; I've known the girl for 15 years.
Having the shunt placed was scary, I know. But it was the absolute right thing to do.
You will start to notice small improvements. Your son will start being more alert, more aware, and with more control over his body.
Now is the time to push OT and PT -- if he's not already in programs, ask the doctor's office to help you get him started.
Some kids with hydrocephalus catch up developmentally and are just typical kids.
Medically, it's going to be stressful -- you'll agonize over every fever and headache.
The shunt will block eventually -- and it'll probably be on a weekend or at night -- and you'll end up in the emergency room, and it will scare you to death.
But you'll all get through it. And you'll add to your list of things to watch for.
Check out this group. They have lots of resources to offer.
http://www.hydroassoc.org/
Hydrocephalus is ventricular enlargement with excessive CSF. Manifestations include an enlarged head and brain atrophy. Increased cranial pressure causes irritability and bulging fontanelles in infants. Diagnosis is by ultrasonography in neonates and by CT or MRI in older infants. Treatment usually is with a ventricular shunt procedure.
Please see the web pages for more details on Hydrocephalus.
I had it when I was a child too. I feel out of the car and smacked my head on the curb. It causes water to swell in the Brain and put pressure on the brain. He will always have a "pocket" in his brain that will appear on MRI's. It can cause permanent brain damage. I am a little slow with some things. I struggled in school and little with subjects like math and reading but as I got older it improved. The brain will heal itself. Just watch him as he gets older he might suffer terrible headaches even migrians. Good luck to him and your family. I didn't get the shunt or any PT or OT as a child. My mother didn't think it was serious. I also split my skull open twice. Your son should be fine. If I can survive all that and not be a veg or disabled then I hope he will be great. Just watch him closely. May god be with you and bless your son.
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