Intracranial pressure in children: symptoms, causes, treatment

For anybody not a secret that little children are prone to frequent diseases. Unfortunately, kids are not able to accurately describe unpleasant feelings, and parents have to guess what is happening to their child. Not to miss the first symptoms of intracranial pressure in children, you need to carefully follow any changes in the child's behavior.

This disease is one of the most common diseases today. If it fails to recognize it at an early age, it will not affect the future life of the child. However, if you do not see signs of increased intracranial pressure in children, the treatment will be much more difficult and there is a high likelihood of complications. Consider this disease in more detail.

What is intracranial pressure

ICP is difficult to define in a few words. Itself pressure – is a parameter that is present in every person, someone he below, while others, on the contrary, increased. On this basis, in medical practice there are certain levels of pressure. If the indicators go beyond them, it indicates a possible pathology.

If we talk about ICP, it is necessary to consider the structure of the brain. As you know, it consists of several departments, including the ventricles, which accumulates a special fluid called "cerebrospinal fluid" (or, as it is called, cerebrospinal fluid). It performs a protective function, preventing the human brain from the harmful effects and damages.

Intracranial pressure (also often called hypertension) is the degree of pressure of the CSF. Accordingly, any changes of the cerebrospinal fluid may adversely affect the health and protection of the brain.

Intracranial pressure in a child, symptoms and causes of which can vary depending on the specific situation, there are several types. Take a closer look.

Congenital hypertension

Often symptoms of intracranial pressure in newborn infants are associated with certain defects and other health disorders ways, conducting the fluid exactly at the genetic level. This means that this pathology was transferred to the baby from the father or mother. Therefore, if the history of one of the parents featured this pathology, after the birth of Chad should exercise heightened vigilance.

In addition, congenital hypertension may be a consequence of hemorrhage during childbirth. Because of this, there may be bruising, and pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid is greatly enhanced.

Also this type of intracranial pressure may develop due to cerebral edema due to hypoxia in the process of carrying the baby or during delivery.

Doctors annually record the development of congenital abnormalities due to infections and birth defects, which negatively affect fetal development. However, in this case, the diagnosis of the disease is in the first weeks after birth or even during the third trimester of gestation of the baby.

The manifestation of the first symptoms of intracranial pressure in infants, the doctors immediately prescribed a course of treatment. If the problems are resolved in a timely manner, then the important processes of life the baby will not be affected. Because of this, children grow up fully and are no different from other kids.

Acquired hypertension

In this case, you experience the first symptoms of intracranial pressure in children in 5 years or later (up to 10 years). There are many factors causing the progression of the disease. For example, the child could suffer from traumatic brain injury, causing swelling, which, in turn, led to a change in pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Also of concern disease may cause inflammation of brain tissue, for example due to meningitis or encephalitis. If the background of these diseases have formed pus, then this can change the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid. The CSF becomes more dense, which leads to a complicated outflow.

If you experience symptoms of intracranial pressure in a child under one year, it is possible that we are talking about the early closure of the Fontanelle. If we talk about norms, as a rule, it closes at 12-18 months. However, sometimes this event happens early. In this case it is the expected increase in intracranial pressure.

The same effects can also be caused by bleeding in the brain. Because of this problem, the CSF begins to exert increased pressure on the surrounding tissues.

Also, do not excludeexposure to toxic substances in the brain tissue of the child.

It Is necessary to check the baby for any neoplasm (benign or malignant). The tumor also violates the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid. This is due to the fact that brain tissue is too much pressure.

If you have symptoms of intracranial pressure in children 10 years later, it is possible that the child was transferred to the brain surgery. In this case, sometimes formed the so-called adhesions. 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 cause high intracranial pressure, their there are so many. If we are talking about babies, then perhaps it's all in the violation of the circulation of oxygen in the baby's blood. This is due to problems in the respiratory system.

Any kind of injury during childbirth or negligent acts on the part of doctors can also lead to unpleasant consequences in the form of ICP. Some kids are diagnosed with neurological disorders. In this case, there are a number of additional factors, which will determine the success of treatment.

Older age, intracranial pressure may be provoked by infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases, infection by helminths, mites. In some situations, the CSF becomes more dense as a result of viral flu. Such phenomenon may cause the stagnation of blood in a skull kid. Negative on the spinal fluid can affect inflammatory diseases (bronchitis, sinusitis, ear infections), obesity and even problems with the thyroid gland.

If after 2 years in children symptoms of intracranial pressure manifested for the first time, it leads parents into a panic. But don't worry ahead of time. In this period of life in the child's body the flow of various natural processes that can cause small fluctuations in ICP.

For Example, to trigger these symptoms can usually cough, defecation, increased body temperature or high loads. If the doctor does not reveal any serious abnormalities, then you should wait a bit and the pressure will return to normal on their own.

Increased intracranial pressure: symptoms in infants

In this age, toddlers may manifest various symptoms. But do not panic because of the individual symptoms as they may indicate completely different problems. The signs should be solely addressed comprehensively. If we talk about the symptoms of intracranial pressure in a child under one year, most often the kids suffer from severe swelling, and in some cases even the pulsations of the Fontanelle.

You Also need to pay attention to the following signs of ICP:

• The Bones of the skull slightly diverge. This is due to the fact that the skull kid accumulates too much fluid.
• Convulsions.
• Symptom Graefe. In this case we are talking about the fact that the oculomotor nerve ceases to function normally. The little one will constantly send down the eyeballs, opening on the iris a pronounced streak of white. Baby like rolls his eyes, but only downward.
• Tearfulness. If the child is crying for no reason and suffers from severe nervous irritation, especially when it is in horizontal position, it suggests that the position of “lying” the venous blood flow is greatly reduced, increasing thus the volume of the CSF.
• Vienna. We should look at the baby's head. If you got a lot of big veins, which is clearly visible blood, then this is a clear sign of ICP.

Also symptoms of intracranial pressure in children can be attributed to a lag in development. In addition, infants with intracranial pressure may suffer from lethargy and hypertonicity of the muscles. Baby can constantly vomiting. This is because there is irritation of certain parts of the brain responsible for retching.

Symptoms of intracranial pressure in children older than 3 years

First and foremost, at this age, intracranial pressure is manifested as inattention, mental and physical lag, inability to permanently remember new information. In school these children write unevenly and poorly, well enough talking. If we talk about the external symptoms, most children with ICP have a more protruding forehead. This is due to the accumulation of fluid inside the skull.

In addition, the preschoolers and school children with such illnesses are often kept his eyes covered, quickly tired, capricious and often complain of headaches, which usually occur in the evening.

Also symptoms of intracranial pressure in children older than 3 years include:

• Disruption of the optic nerve. Kids often complain of floaters in your eyes, flashes during blinking and pain.
• Poor coordination. Children are the first time to get a mug or a ballpoint pen in hand.
• Frequent vomiting.

Datasymptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children should not go unnoticed. At the first sign of illness should see a specialist.

Diagnostics

There is only one method of diagnosis, which will help to establish the diagnosis with an accuracy of one hundred percent – puncture cerebrospinal fluid. However, this procedure is quite painful, so doctors prefer other methods of determining pathology. Most often diagnosis is made on the basis of major signs and symptoms of ICP.

In the first place the baby examined by a neurologist. It determines how well your reflexes, spring for the presence of swelling, measure the volume of the head. Also specialist in detail interrogates the parents and said how well baby sleeps, how he conducts himself day and so on.

In the next phase inspection is performed by an ophthalmologist. It checks the fundus. If the child has intracranial pressure, the doctor will see dilated veins, altered optic nerve, and signs of spasm of blood vessels.

On the basis of a comprehensive examination the specialists come to the conclusion whether a baby has problems with intracranial pressure. If the answer is positive, then, on the basis of age and clinical features, the child is assigned the appropriate treatment. Thus it is better to consult with several specialists.

Treatment

Treatment will depend on what was the root cause of the development of the nasty disease. Most often, reading the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure in children, the experts recommended to first normalize the daily routine of the baby. Also it would be better to be with him in the fresh air.

Experts advise moderate physical activity. For example, many recommend to start with baby swimming. Good result gives a physical event.

For more complex forms of the disease, physicians prescribe diuretics, for example “Triampur” or “Diacarb”. Also, we recommend taking drugs that improve blood circulation in the brain. These include nootropics “Kaviton”, “Pantogram” and “Piracetam". In some situations, you may need a course of neuroprotective agents. Such drugs consider “Glycine”. Can also be assigned to a light sedative.

If the baby is suffering from a brain tumor, then surgical intervention can not be avoided. Hydrocephalus is the procedure of bypass surgery.

Folk medicine

To lower intracranial pressure in a child, along with medicaments and physiotherapy, you can try to use a variety of drug charges.

For Example, you can prepare a decoction of lavender. To do this you must pour one teaspoon of dried flowers in a Cup of boiling water. Thereafter, the mixture boil for 3 minutes and infuse for half an hour. Drink the resulting tool is recommended for the month, then you need to do a two-week break and again repeat the treatment. Additionally, a decoction of lavender can be carefully rubbed into the scalp of the baby before he goes to bed.

Another useful tool – mulberry. It is also possible to prepare decoction for lowering intracranial pressure and relieving headaches. For this you must place a small bunch of herbs in a liter of pure distilled water and boil for 15 minutes. After this decoction should strain and divide into several equal parts. However, it is worth considering that this medicine you can drink only fresh, so cook it will have on a daily basis.

Complications of intracranial pressure

If time does not begin treatment for increased intracranial pressure, it is fraught with serious consequences. For example, the child may significantly deteriorate mental condition and vision. Also on the background of the ICP is often developed epilepsy. Advanced forms of this disease may even lead to ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

If the baby is suffering from injury of the cerebellum, it is on this background may develop respiratory failure, the limb will begin to weaken, which sometimes also provokes disturbances of consciousness.

Intracranial pressure Also strongly affects mental and physical development of children. Therefore, it is better not to delay treatment and to monitor possible symptoms.