Cerebrospinal fluid is extremely important to the function of the brain and therefore the entire body. It normally flows in pathways from one ventricle to the next and outside the brain, down the spinal cord and into the bloodstream. The fluid acts as protection for the brain and spinal cord, delivers nutrients, removes waste and compensates for changes in blood volume within the brain. Congenital hydrocephalus occurs in about one or two per 1000 births. The cause often cannot be determined, possibly environmental factors during development or genetic predisposition.
Premature babies can be at risk for hydrocephalus because their brains are still developing.
Acquired hydrocephalus develops at birth or later and can be caused by head trauma, tumors, cysts, meningitis or intraventricular hemorrhage. About 90 percent of children born with spina bifida have hydrocephalus. The symptoms vary greatly with the age of the patient, the progression of the disease and the ability to tolerate the pressure from the cerebrospinal fluid. Babies and infants with hydrocephalus may have enlarged heads or a rapid increase in head circumference. They may be able to tolerate the pressure better because their skulls are not fully developed.