HydrocephalusSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to the brain pushing against the skull.
Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain."
Water on the brain
Hydrocephalus is due to a problem with the flow of the fluid that surrounds the brain. This fluid is called the cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF. The fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord and helps cushion the brain.
CSF normally moves through the brain and around the spinal cord, and then is absorbed into the bloodstream. CSF levels in the brain can rise if:
- The flow of CSF is blocked.
- The fluid does not get properly absorbed into the blood.
- The brain makes too much of the fluid.
Too much CSF puts pressure on the brain. This pushes the brain up against the skull and damages brain tissue.
Hydrocephalus may begin while the baby is growing in the womb. It is common in babies who have a myelomeningocele, a birth defect in which the spinal column does not close properly.
Hydrocephalus may also be due to:
- Genetic defects
- Certain infections during pregnancy
In young children, hydrocephalus may be due to:
- Infections that affect the central nervous system (such as meningitis or encephalitis), especially in infants.
- Bleeding in the brain during or soon after delivery (especially in premature babies).
- Injury before, during, or after childbirth, including subarachnoid hemorrhage.
- Tumors of the central nervous system, including the brain or spinal cord.
- Injury or trauma.
Hydrocephalus most often occurs in children. Another type, called normal pressure hydrocephalus, may occur in adults and older people.
Symptoms of hydrocephalus depend on:
- Age
- The amount of brain damage
- What is causing the buildup of CSF fluid
In infants, hydrocephalus causes the fontanelle (soft spot) to bulge and the head to be larger than expected. Early symptoms may also include:
- Eyes that appear to gaze downward
- Irritability
- Seizures
- Separated sutures
- Sleepiness
- Vomiting
Symptoms that may occur in older children can include:
- Brief, shrill, high-pitched cry
- Changes in personality, memory, or the ability to reason or think
- Changes in facial appearance and eye spacing
- Crossed eyes or uncontrolled eye movements
- Difficulty feeding
- Excessive sleepiness
- Headache
- Irritability, poor temper control
- Loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence)
- Loss of coordination and trouble walking
- Muscle spasticity (spasm)
- Slow growth (child 0 to 5 years)
- Slow or restricted movement
- Vomiting
The goal of treatment is to reduce or prevent brain damage by improving the flow of CSF.
Surgery may be done to remove a blockage, if possible.
If not, a flexible tube called a shunt may be placed in the brain to reroute the flow of CSF. The shunt sends CSF to another part of the body, such as the belly area, where it can be absorbed.
Other treatments may include:
- Antibiotics if there are signs of infection. Severe infections affecting the shunt may require the shunt to be removed.
- A procedure called endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), which relieves pressure without replacing the shunt.
- Removing or burning away (cauterizing) the parts of the brain that produce CSF.
The child will need regular check-ups to make sure there are no further problems. Tests will be done regularly to check the child's development, and to look for intellectual, neurological, or physical problems.
Visiting nurses, social services, support groups, and local agencies can provide emotional support and help with the care of a child with hydrocephalus who has serious brain damage.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Sean Nagel is a Neurosurgery provider practicing medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been practicing medicine for over 27 years. Dr. Nagel is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hydrocephalus. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Hydrocephalus, Essential Tremor, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Thalamotomy. Dr. Nagel is board certified in American Board Of Neurological Surgery, 2015.
Primary Childrens Cleft
John Kestle is a Neurologist practicing medicine in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Kestle is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hydrocephalus. He is also highly rated in 9 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Hydrocephalus, Intraventricular Hemorrhage of the Newborn, Craniosynostosis, Posterior Fossa Decompression, and Osteotomy. Dr. Kestle is board certified in American Board Of Neurological Surgery. Dr. Kestle is currently accepting new patients.
Swedish Cerebrovascular Center
Dr. Monteith's philosophy of care is to approach the care of each of his patients as if they were a member of his own family. He strives to give his patients the best possible outcome by combining the latest technological advances with personalized clinical care. When possible, he uses endovascular or minimally invasive surgical approaches, so that his patients can recover from their procedure and get back to their normal lives as soon as possible. Dr. Monteith is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hydrocephalus. He is also highly rated in 20 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Brain Aneurysm, Congenital Cardiovascular Shunt, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery, and Cerebral Artery Bypass Surgery. Dr. Monteith is board certified in American Board Of Neurological Surgery. Dr. Monteith is currently accepting new patients.
Without treatment, up to 6 in 10 people with hydrocephalus will die. Those who survive will have different amounts of intellectual, physical, and neurological disabilities.
The outlook depends on the cause. Hydrocephalus that is not due to an infection has the best outlook. People with hydrocephalus caused by tumors will often do very poorly.
Most children with hydrocephalus who survive for 1 year will have a fairly normal lifespan.
The shunt may become blocked. Symptoms of such a blockage include headache and vomiting. Surgeons may be able to help the shunt open without having to replace it.
There may be other problems with the shunt, such as kinking, tube separation, or infection in the area of the shunt.
Other complications may include:
- Complications of surgery
- Infections such as meningitis or encephalitis
- Intellectual impairment
- Nerve damage (decrease in movement, sensation, function)
- Physical disabilities
Seek medical care right away if your child has any symptoms of this disorder. Call 911 or the local emergency number or go to the emergency room if emergency symptoms occur, such as:
- Breathing problems
- Extreme drowsiness or sleepiness
- Feeding difficulties
- Fever
- High-pitched cry
- No pulse (heartbeat)
- Seizures
- Severe headache
- Stiff neck
- Vomiting
You should also contact your child's provider if:
- The child has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, and the condition gets worse.
- You are unable to care for the child at home.
Protect the head of an infant or child from injury. Prompt treatment of infections and other disorders associated with hydrocephalus may reduce the risk of developing the disorder.
Summary: Rhaeos, Inc. is initially targeting hydrocephalus, a life threatening condition caused by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Implantable shunts, the gold standard treatment, often fail, leading to multiple trips to the emergency room and repeat surgeries. There is no technology available today that can easily assess CSF flow in shunts wirelessly, bedside, and without capital eq...
Summary: In all published series of adult chronic hydrocephalus, there is a percentage between twenty and twenty-five percent of patients who present poor results after implantation of a cerebrospinal fluid shunt,1-11 usually ventriculoperitoneal. The lumboperitoneal shunt is also used but much more rarely. The diagnosis of this pathology is based on the clinical picture, neuroimaging studies (Evans index ...
Published Date: October 01, 2025
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Regional Medical Director of Penn Medicine Primary and Specialty Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Ho WS, Kestle JRW. Hydrocephalus in children: etiology and overall management. In: Winn HR, ed. Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 223.
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Trowbridge SK, Yang E, Yuskaitis CJ. Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 631.