Question
What are the causes of pediatric hydrocephalus? An infant began to exhibit intermittent fever symptoms on August 27th, with temperatures reaching nearly 40 degrees Celsius and dropping to over 36 degrees Celsius. The final diagnosis was hydrocephalus. How could hydrocephalus have affected a one-and-a-half-month-old baby?
Answer
The causes of pediatric hydrocephalus are diverse and can be categorized into congenital and acquired types. Congenital hydrocephalus often correlates with abnormalities during fetal development, while acquired hydrocephalus may be caused by factors such as empyema of the brain, trauma, cerebrovascular diseases, circulatory disorders, or tumors. Empyema of the brain is the most common cause of inflammatory adhesions, which in turn block the pathways for cerebrospinal fluid. With a decrease in cases of empyema of the brain, the incidence of acquired hydrocephalus has also decreased. Approximately 40% of congenital pediatric hydrocephalus cases naturally resolve, and about one-third of these children may experience intellectual development issues.