Success Story
Talking to other parents of kids with hydrocephalus through the Hydro- cephalus Association helped m
Did You Know?
Hydrocephalus is a combination of the Greek word “hydro” which means water and “cephalus” which means head.
The Physical Exam
During a physical exam, healthcare professionals will look for different things depending on the age of the person who is suspected of having hydrocephalus.
- Premature infants
- check the head for swelling, and check overall muscle tone
- Full-term infant
- check the head for swelling, and also check the eyes and reflexes.
- Children
- check to see whether the child is reaching developmental goals including:
- Physical milestones such as smiling, crawling, walking, and rolling over.
- Mental milestones such as speaking, school performance, memory, and personality changes.
- Check eyes, balance, reflexes, and coordination.
- check to see whether the child is reaching developmental goals including:
- Adults
- check ability to perform expected functions such as speaking, walking, and memory; as well as for personality changes, eyes, balance, reflexes, and coordination.
Click here to learn about medical tests used to diagnose hydrocephalus
