7 Tips for Caring for a Child with Hydrocephalus

If too much fluid builds up in the brain, it can cause brain damage and lead to serious problems for your child’s health. If left untreated, this fluid can be life-threatening. A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt may be placed to help drain the fluid out of the brain.

In an infant, the most obvious sign of hydrocephalus is an abnormal enlargement of the baby’s head. The soft spot on the top of the head (fontanel) may be tense and bulging. The scalp may appear thin and glistening, and the scalp veins may appear to have unnatural fullness (prominence) as well.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery (VP shunt surgery) helps control pressure in the brain by draining extra fluid out of the brain and into the belly. During VP shunt surgery, the doctor placed two small tubes (catheters) and a valve under your child’s skin. After surgery, your child’s neck or belly may be tender.

Once the shunt has been proven to be unnecessary, it can be removed – typically as an outpatient procedure. Careful long-term follow-up is necessary to evaluate for recurrence of hydrocephalus requiring shunt replacement.

1. Build a Support Network.
2. Learn How to Monitor a Shunt.
3. Do Not Let Them Play with Magnets.
4. Pay Close Attention to Their Development.
5. Be Aware That They May Need Special Education.
6. Recognize Emergencies.
7. Teach Your Child About Hydrocephalus.

The most common hydrocephalus treatment is a shunt, a small piece of silicone tubing placed surgically inside the body to bypass a blockage or otherwise create a better flow of cerebrospinal fluid. The shunt allows for fluid to flow through it in one direction.

Most VP shunts are placed to treat the hydrocephalus. Disorders that typically requiring shunting include the following: Congenital hydrocephalus after aqueductal stenosis is a genetic disorder which can cause deformations of the nervous system and is associated with mental retardation, abducted thumbs, and spastic paraplegia

The shunt removes excess cerebrospinal fluid. In pediatric patients, untreated hydrocephalus can lead to many adverse effects including increase irritabilities, chronic headaches, learning difficulties, visual disturbances, and in more advanced cases severe mental retardation.

Shunt infection and shunt obstruction were the commonest post-operative complications required shunt revision. Low birth weight and other associated congenital anomalies increased the mortality rate.Conclusions: VP shunt placement has been the main treatment modality for hydrocephalus.

The distal end of a VP shunt is placed in the peritoneal cavity. The main differences between shunts are the type of valve used, and whether the valve is programmable or not. Advances in the biotechnologies are leading to progressive changes in the shunt components.