It's no secret that young children are prone to frequent diseases. Unfortunately, the kids are not able to accurately describe the discomfort, and parents have to guess what is happening with their child. In order not to miss the first symptoms of intracranial pressure in children, you need to carefully monitor any changes in the behavior of the baby.
This ailment is one of the diseases common today. If you recognize it in a timely manner at an early age, then this will not affect the future life of the child. However, if you do not discern the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children, the treatment will be much more difficult and there is a greater likelihood of complications. Consider this ailment in more detail.
What is intracranial pressure
ICP is difficult to define in a few words. In itself, pressure is a parameter that is present in every person, for someone it is lower, while for others, on the contrary, it is increased. Based on this, in medical practice, there are certain pressure standards. If the indicators go beyond their limits, then this indicates a possible pathology.
If we talk about ICP, then it is worth considering the structure of the brain. As you know, it consists of several departments, including the ventricles, in which a special fluid called “cerebrospinal fluid” (or, as it is also called, cerebrospinal fluid) accumulates. It performs a protective function, protecting the human brain from harmful effects and various injuries.
ICP (also often called hypertension) is the degree of cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Accordingly, any changes in cerebrospinal fluid may adversely affect the performance and protection of the brain.
Intracranial pressure in a child, the symptoms and causes of which may differ depending on the specific situation, can be of several types. Let's consider them in more detail.
Congenital Hypertension
Often, symptoms of intracranial pressure in newborns are associated with certain defects and other disabilities of the pathways that conduct cerebrospinal fluid, precisely at the genetic level. This means that this pathology was transmitted to the baby from the father or mother. Therefore, if in the anamnesis of one of the parents this pathology appears, after the birth of the child it is worthwhile to show increased vigilance.
In addition, congenital hypertension can be a consequence of hemorrhage during childbirth. Because of this, hematomas can appear, and the pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid significantly increase.
Also, this type of intracranial pressure may develop due to cerebral edema due to hypoxia in the process of bearing a baby or during childbirth.
Doctors annually record the development of congenital pathologies due to infections and birth injuries that adversely affect the development of the fetus. However, in this case, the diagnosis of the disease is carried out in the first weeks after childbirth or during the third trimester of bearing a baby.
When the first symptoms of intracranial pressure appear in infants, doctors immediately prescribe a course of treatment. If the problems are resolved in a timely manner, then the important vital processes of the baby will not be affected. Thanks to this, children grow up full-fledged and are no different from other kids.
Acquired Hypertension
In this case, the first symptoms of intracranial pressure appear in a child at 5 years old or a little later (up to 10 years). There are many factors that provoke the development of the disease. For example, a child could suffer from a traumatic brain injury, due to which edema formed, which, in turn, led to a change in cerebrospinal fluid pressure.
Also, inflammation of the brain tissue, for example due to meningitis or encephalitis, can lead to a problem. If pus has formed against the background of these diseases, then the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid may also change. Liquor becomes thicker, which leads to its complicated outflow.
If symptoms of intracranial pressure are observed in a child up to a year old, then perhaps this is an early closure of the fontanel. If we talk about the norms, then, as a rule, it closes at the age of 12-18 months. However, sometimes this event occurs prematurely. In this case, an increase in intracranial pressure is expected.
Brain hemorrhage can lead to the same consequences. Due to this problem, cerebrospinal fluid begins to exert increased pressure on the surrounding tissue.
Also, do not exclude the effects of toxic substances on the brain tissue of the child.
It is worth checking the baby for the presence of any neoplasms (benign or malignant). Due to the tumor, cerebrospinal fluid outflow is also impaired. This is due to the fact that too much pressure is applied to the brain tissue.
If symptoms of intracranial pressure appeared in children 10 years of age or later, then perhaps the child had surgery on the brain. In this case, so-called adhesions are sometimes formed. They impede the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid and lead to acquired hypertension.
Causes of increased ICP in children
If we talk about the factors that provoke high intracranial pressure, then there are a huge number of them. If we are talking about babies, then perhaps the whole thing is a violation of the circulation of oxygen in the baby’s blood. This is due to problems in the respiratory system.
Any injuries during childbirth or careless actions by doctors can also lead to unpleasant consequences in the form of ICP. Some babies are diagnosed with neurological abnormalities. In this case, there are a number of additional factors on which the success of treatment will depend.
At an older age, ICP can be triggered by infectious diseases, inflammatory processes, infection with helminths, ticks. In some situations, cerebrospinal fluid becomes thicker due to viral flu. A stagnation of blood in the baby’s skull can lead to a similar phenomenon. Inflammatory diseases (bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis media), obesity and even thyroid problems can negatively affect cerebrospinal fluid.
If after 2 years in children the symptoms of intracranial pressure appear for the first time, then this causes parents to panic. However, do not worry ahead of time. During this period of life, various natural processes occur in the child’s body that can lead to small fluctuations in the ICP.
For example, a regular cough, bowel movement, fever, or high stress can cause such symptoms. If the doctor does not reveal any serious pathologies, then you should wait a bit and the pressure will return to normal on its own.
Increased intracranial pressure: symptoms in infants
At this age, babies can manifest a wide variety of symptoms. However, do not panic due to certain symptoms, as they may indicate completely different problems. Symptoms should be considered exclusively comprehensively. If we talk about the symptoms of intracranial pressure in a child up to a year, then most often babies suffer from severe swelling and, in some cases, even fontanel pulsations.
You also need to pay attention to the following signs of ICP:
- The bones of the skull diverge slightly. This is due to the fact that too much fluid accumulates in the baby's skull.
- The presence of seizures.
- Symptom Gref. In this case, we are talking about the fact that the oculomotor nerve ceases to function in normal mode. In this case, the baby will constantly direct the eyeballs down, revealing a pronounced strip of white above the iris. The child seems to roll his eyes, but only down.
- Tearfulness. If a child cries for no reason and experiences severe nervous irritation, especially when he is in a horizontal position, this may indicate that in the prone position the venous blood flow slows down significantly, thereby increasing the volume of cerebrospinal fluid.
- Veins. It’s worth a closer look at the baby’s head. If many large veins appeared on it, in which blood is clearly visible, then this is a clear sign of ICP.
Also, symptoms of intracranial pressure in children include developmental lag. In addition, babies with ICP may suffer from lethargy and muscle hypertonicity. The baby can be constantly sick. This is due to the fact that there is irritation of some parts of the brain responsible for vomiting.
Symptoms of intracranial pressure in children older than 3 years
First of all, at this age, ICP is manifested in the form of inattention, mental and physical lag, and the inability to memorize new information for a long time. At school, such children write unevenly and poorly, do not speak well enough. If we talk about external signs, then most often children with ICP have a more prominent forehead. This is due to accumulating fluid inside the cranium.
In addition, preschoolers and schoolchildren with similar ailments often keep their eyes closed, quickly become tired, naughty and often complain of headaches, which usually occur in the evening.
Also, symptoms of intracranial pressure in children older than 3 years can include:
- Violations of the optic nerve. Toddlers often complain of flies in their eyes, flashes during blinking and pain.
- Bad coordination. Children cannot take a mug or ballpoint pen in their hand the first time.
- Frequent vomiting.
These symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children should not go unnoticed. At the first signs of an ailment, you should consult a specialist.
Diagnostics
There is only one diagnostic method that will help to establish a diagnosis with an accuracy of one hundred percent - puncture of cerebrospinal fluid. However, this procedure is rather painful, so doctors prefer other methods for determining pathology. Most often, diagnosis is based on the main signs and symptoms of ICP.
First of all, the neurologist examines the baby. It determines how well the reflexes work, the fontanel for the presence of swelling, measures the volume of the head. The specialist also interviews parents in detail and clarifies how well the baby sleeps, how he behaves during the day and more.
At the next stage, the examination is carried out by an ophthalmologist. He checks the fundus. If the child has an ICP, then the specialist will see dilated veins, altered disks of the optic nerves and signs of vascular spasms.
Based on a comprehensive examination, specialists come to the conclusion whether the baby has problems with intracranial pressure. If the answer is yes, then, based on the age and characteristics of the clinical picture, the child is prescribed appropriate treatment. In this case, it is better to consult several specialists at once.
Treatment
Therapy will directly depend on what became the root cause of the development of an unpleasant ailment. Most often, after familiarizing themselves with the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children, experts recommend first of all normalizing the baby's day regimen. You should also be with him as often as possible in the fresh air.
Experts advise moderate physical activity. For example, many recommend starting swimming with the baby. Physiotherapeutic measures give a good result.
With more complex forms of the disease, doctors prescribe diuretics, such as Triampur or Diakarb. It is also recommended to take medications that improve blood circulation in the brain. These include the nootropics Caviton, Pantogam and Piracetam. In some situations, a course of neuroprotective agents may be required. These drugs include "Glycine." Mild sedatives may also be prescribed.
If the baby suffers from a brain tumor, then surgery can not be avoided. With hydrocephalus, a bypass procedure is performed.
ethnoscience
To reduce the intracranial pressure in a child, along with medications and physiotherapeutic procedures, you can try to use various medicinal fees.
For example, you can cook a decoction of lavender. To do this, pour one spoonful of dried flowers with a glass of boiling water. After this, boil the mixture for 3 minutes and insist half an hour. Drinking the resulting product is recommended for a month, after which it is necessary to take a two-week break and repeat the treatment again. Additionally, a decoction of lavender can be gently rubbed into the scalp of the baby before he goes to bed.
Another useful remedy is mulberry. It is also possible to prepare a medicinal decoction from it to lower the ICP and relieve headaches. To do this, place a small bunch of grass in a liter of clean distilled water and boil for 15 minutes. After this, the broth needs to be filtered and divided into several equal parts. However, it should be borne in mind that this drug can be drunk exclusively fresh, so you have to cook it daily.
Complications after ICP
If timely treatment of increased intracranial pressure is not started, then this is fraught with serious consequences. For example, a child’s mental health and vision may be significantly impaired. Also, against the background of ICP, epilepsy often develops. In advanced form, this pathology can even lead to ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
If the baby suffers from infringement of the cerebellum, then against this background, respiratory failure may develop, the limbs will begin to weaken, which also sometimes provokes disorders of consciousness.
ICP also greatly affects the mental and physical development of babies. Therefore, it is better not to delay the treatment and monitor the possible manifestation of symptoms.