Measuring head - what disease for large head?

You know how often the dr measures your kid's head when they are little? What are they looking for (other than that simply it is growing). What diseases are associated with big heads? I have a specific reason for asking...

Posted: Thu, Apr 29 2010, 1:43 am Post subject:

Hydrocephalus

A too large head could ch"v be a sign of hydrocephalus (water in the brain) but I know two cases where the doctors got nervous and ordered extra testing, but it turned out that large heads just run in the family and the kids were perfectly fine. (and a similar story about a small head, too. )
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hadasa. One 'h', one 's'.

"...the eternal Jewish wealth is when we ... bring into the world children and descendants who keep Torah and Mitzvos." (Hayom Yom)

Same here- Hydrocephalus. We actually saw that ds probably had it during pregnancy, and it became a definite yes after birth.
It needs surgery- if you leave it as it, the liquid in the brain keeps accumulating there instead of going down the spine. It thus enlarge the baby's head- since the skull is still flexible. The problem really starts when the skull is less pliable when not only you have an enormous head but the liquids start putting pressure on the brain, resulting in the death of the toddler.
Nowadays, yo do NOT get to this stage, since if it is diagnosed , the infant goes through surgery. During surgery a shunt is put in the head with a tube going all the way down the tummy, where the liquid will be going.
Although it IS brain surgery, is is considered a very safe and 'easy" one, with only 4-5 days in hospital after it. The baby's head "shrinks" right back to normal after it, and then you go see the doctor every so oftn (now ds is 7, we're down to once a year or so.
Eventually, the kid-teenager need repeat surgery when the tube get too short...

sometimes a small head is the problem.

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