Other conditions, such as neural tube defects (like spina bifida), are also associated with hydrocephalus. The most common initial diagnostic test to determine hydrocephalus at any age is an image of the brain using CT or MRI to identify if the ventricles or spaces within the brain are enlarged. Hydrocephalus is a condition that occurs when fluid builds up in the skull and causes the brain to swell. Hydrocephalus is often congenital, meaning babies are born with it, but infants and children can develop it as well. Hydrocephalus symptoms are certainly alarming and you must take the baby to a doctor for a formal diagnosis. There is no one specific cause of congenital hydrocephalus. Diagnosing Hydrocephalus. More tests are often performed in adults in order to diagnosis the condition.

Back to top. The outlook for babies born with hydrocephalus varies and depends in part on the cause of the condition. Hydrocephalus is a difficult condition that affects newborn babies, even though it is quite rare. Diagnosis. In some babies the condition is genetic, such as in babies with congenital aqueductal stenosis. Diagnosis. Hydrocephalus can occur either as a condition present at birth (congenital), or it can be acquired later in life. Shunt systems have to be watched carefully. However, it may be linked to a genetic defect, or be the result of another disorder such as spina bifida or encephalocele (sac-like protrusions of the brain). Hydrocephalus happens most often in infants or in adults older than 60, but you can have it at any age.

Babies born with hydrocephalus have enlarged heads, due to problems with the brain at a young age. How Is Hydrocephalus In Babies Diagnosed?