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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThe signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus vary generally by age of onset:
Infants
Common signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants include:
- An unusually large head
- A rapid increase in the size of the head
- A bulging or tense soft spot (fontanel) on the top of the head
- Vomiting
- Sleepiness
- Irritability
- Poor feeding
- Seizures
- Eyes fixed downward (sunsetting of the eyes)
- Deficits in muscle tone and strength, responsiveness to touch, and expected growth
Toddlers and older children
Among toddlers and older children, signs and symptoms may include:
- Abnormal enlargement of a toddler's head
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fever
- Delays in walking or talking
- Problems with previously acquired skills, such as walking or talking
- Blurred or double vision
- Unstable balance
- Poor coordination
- Irritability
- Change in personality
- Problems with attention
- Decline in school performance
- Poor appetite
- Seizures
- Sleepiness
- Difficulty remaining awake or waking up
Young and middle-aged adults
Common signs and symptoms in this age group include:
- Headache
- Difficulty in remaining awake or waking up
- Loss of coordination or balance
- Loss of bladder control or a frequent urge to urinate
- Impaired vision
- Decline in memory, concentration and other thinking skills that may affect job performance
Older adults
Among adults 60 years of age and older, the more common signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus are:
- Loss of bladder control or a frequent urge to urinate
- Memory loss
- Progressive loss of other thinking or reasoning skills
- Difficulty walking, often described as a shuffling gait or the feeling of the feet being stuck
- Poor coordination or balance
- Slower than normal movements in general
Seek emergency medical care for infants and toddlers experiencing these signs and symptoms:
- A high-pitched cry
- Problems with sucking or feeding
- Unexplained, recurrent vomiting
- An unwillingness to bend or move the neck or head
- Breathing difficulties
- Seizures
Seek prompt medical attention for other signs or symptoms in any age group.
Because more than one condition can result in the problems associated with hydrocephalus, it's important to get a timely diagnosis and appropriate care.
References
- Hydrocephalus. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. http://www.aans.org/Patient%20Information/Conditions%20and%20Treatments/Hydrocephalus.aspx. Accessed June 11, 2011.
- Hydrocephalus fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hydrocephalus/detail_hydrocephalus.htm. Accessed June 10, 2011.
- Fishman MA. Hydrocephalus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 10, 2011.
- Diagnosis of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus Association. https://www.hydroassoc.org/hydrocephalus-education-and-support/learning-about-hydrcephalus/diagnosis-of-hydrocephalus. Accessed June 11, 2011.
- Graff-Radford NR. Normal pressure hydrocephalus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 10, 2011.
- Life-threatening complications of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus Association. https://www.hydroassoc.org/hydrocephalus-education-and-support/learning-about-hydrcephalus/life-threatening-complications-of-hydrocephalus. Accessed June 11, 2011.
- Hamilton MG. Treatment of hydrocephalus in adults. Seminars in Pediatric Neurology. 2009;16:34.
- Meningococcal vaccine: Who and when to vaccinate. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mening/who-vaccinate.htm. Accessed June 28, 2011.
- Wetjen NM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 6, 2011.
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