What is the intracranial pressure, and often do it rises in infants - are interested in these issues, and sometimes very frightening parents. Visit the children's neurologist at the polyclinic often exacerbates this concern, since it assigns inspection child who suspected increased intracranial pressure.

What is intracranial pressure and how it can be measured

Our brain and spinal cord is in an aqueous medium - cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is formed from the blood to vascular plexus in the central nervous system. Liquor bathes the brain and spinal cord and is absorbed back into the blood in the venous sinuses. Thus, the composition of cerebrospinal fluid is constantly changing, and the fluid moves through the head (the ventricles of the brain) and the spinal cord (the spinal canal) brain. And as the liquor - a liquid, there is always a certain amount of pressure, which is called intracranial (ICP).

To measure intracranial pressure is only possible through a puncture (puncture) of the ventricles of the brain or the spinal canal (this is usually done in the lumbar region and is called a lumbar puncture). Just like that, one on suspicion of increased intracranial pressure, such a procedure is not done. The puncture is performed only stationary in a specialized neurosurgical department and is equivalent to the operation.

All other methods of detecting increased intracranial pressure Increased intracranial pressure is dangerous for the brain   They are indirect.

Why may increase intracranial pressure in infants

ICP increases if too much CSF is produced or is not completely absorbed back into the blood. This situation often develops on the background of perinatal brain lesions, ie, in the period from 28 weeks of pregnancy to 28 days after birth. This period is the most dangerous in regard to destruction of brain structures - violation may occur when there is insufficient supply of oxygen the brain (fetal hypoxia), there are different intoxication (smoking, alcohol or certain medicines mother), intrauterine infection. During childbirth are various brain injuries. There are also tumor. All these factors can lead to an increase in intracranial pressure Intracranial pressure - if you have a headache .

Therefore, examination of the child task is to identify not only of increased intracranial pressure, but the cause of this phenomenon.

On what grounds can be suspected increased intracranial pressure in infants

The main criterion here is to increase the baby's head. It measures not only the rate but also the volume of the chest, the child's growth, after which the data is compared with the norm for the special tables. It matters not so immediate volume of the head as its increase over time. If the volume of the head increases very quickly, it is an occasion to examine the child.

A child with an increased intracranial pressure is characterized by increased excitability, he often cries for no reason, belches, shaking his arms and chin. Often these children have strabismus Strabismus - how to find the cause? . All these attributes have meaning only in the complex, as may appear from time to time completely healthy children.

In order to confirm the presence in infants of the brain damage, which is accompanied by an increase in intracranial pressure, it is necessary to conduct additional tests. Today, the main method for studying the brain in infants is ultrasonography (US) or neurosonography. This research may be conducted only for children up to a year when there is not closed anterior fontanelle - the bones of the skull are an obstacle to the ultrasound beam.

What is hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus - this increase in ICP, which results in a dramatic increase in the volume of the child's head. This disease develops in severe, often congenital changes in the brain that produces too much liquor, or it is very slowly eliminated. Hydrocephalus can also develop after injuries, infections and against brain tumors.

How to treat grudnichka with increased intracranial pressure

It depends on the degree of increased intracranial pressure and disorders of the brain from which can be identified in the course of examination of the child. For minor violations, and the child can not be treated, but sometimes these children is assigned a restorative (gymnastics, massage) and symptomatic treatment (eg, sedatives, hypnotics).

If the changes are more significant, it is assigned a complex treatment, which includes diuretics, drugs, strengthens blood vessels, improves metabolic processes in the brain, and so on. If this treatment does not work and all signs of increased intracranial pressure continues to increase, it is possible that your child will need surgery.

Galina Romanenko

Children are most often found certain types of systemic vasculitis, which are much less likely to occur in adults. The manifestations of systemic vasculitis in children also have their own characteristics, due to which they are called children or juvenile systemic vasculitis.

Features of systemic vasculitis in children

Systemic vasculitis - an inflammation of the infectious nature in the walls of blood vessels. For different vasculitis usually affects small, medium or large blood vessels. These diseases are rare. Their nature usually has a complex infectious-allergic and genetic basis. But until now, systemic vasculitis is one of the most unexplored diseases. For the development of these diseases usually requires a genetic predisposition, a tendency to allergies, frequent infections and the use of various drugs.

In children, the most frequent hemorrhagic vasculitis Vasculitis - when blood vessels refuse to work   (kapillyarotoksikoz's disease, Henoch - Schonlein purpura). In addition, they can develop Kawasaki syndrome, knotted (nodular) polyarteritis, nonspecific aortoarteriit. These vasculitis belong to the group of children or juvenile diseases

Sometimes, there are children and other vasculitis: Wegener's granulomatosis, Chardjui-Strauss syndrome, Behcet's syndrome.

Kawasaki syndrome in children

Kawasaki syndrome or mucous - kozhnozhelezisty syndrome - a disease peculiar to young children. This affects the walls of medium-sized blood vessels. Specific manifestations of this disease is a rash, fever and inflammation of the lymph nodes. Kawasaki syndrome may be complicated by inflammation of the joints and the heart.

Why is this disease begins in children. Today, no one knows. It is possible that a precipitating factor is a viral disease. More common in boys aged from a few months to four or five years, but the disease is found in teens and adults. There are family history of the disease, suggesting a hereditary factor.

Developing the disease with high fever, weakness, drowsiness. Then, on the skin and mucous membranes appear red maculopapular rash. At the same time noted the appearance of dry red tongue, cracked lips Chapped lips - lips look after properly , Redness in the throat, irritation and redness of the sclera of eyeballs. Palms and soles swell and redden. Increases and becomes painful lymph nodes in the neck.

After two or three weeks after the onset of the rash passes, the lymph nodes are reduced in size, and the skin on the hands and feet begins to peel off. But this time may develop complications of the heart, which can have severe consequences. In addition, the possible development of arachnoiditis (inflammation of the meninges), arthritis (joint inflammation) and gall bladder, which are reversible.

Polyarteritis nodosa children

Polyarteritis nodosa (knotty periarteritis) - a disease in which the inflammatory process is developing in the walls of the small and medium arteries. In the affected artery aneurysm formation (expansion with thinning of the artery walls). The aneurysm is a stagnation of the blood to form clots that clog the vessel lumen, disrupting the blood supply to an organ.

It is believed that the starting point for the onset of the disease can be vaccinated, drugs, viruses causing chronic hepatitis Hepatitis - the scourge of our time And other viral infections. Also, it matters that a child of any allergies.

The disease begins acutely with high fever, muscle-joint pain (pain and swelling of the joints, pain in the calf muscles), rash. The temperature then rises to very high numbers, then falls, which is accompanied by drenching sweat. Very fast depletion occurs, the child loses a significant body weight. The skin appears bluish rash characteristic of marbling or tree branches. They can be very bright, but then gradually fade. Furthermore, there nodular rash.

When a thrombosis of blood vessels of the skin and mucous membranes, it may be accompanied by areas of necrosis (tissue necrosis) with subsequent ulceration.

The defeat of the central nervous system causing severe headaches, vomiting, and sometimes convulsions, visual disturbances. With the defeat of the gastrointestinal tract nausea, vomiting, severe attacks of abdominal pain Abdominal pain: Types and Symptoms . Such lesions may be complicated by rupture of the intestinal wall and peritonitis. It is also possible kidney damage in the form of glomerulonephritis and cardiac complications.

Non-specific aortoarteriit children

Non-specific aortoarteriit (Takayasu's disease, pulseless disease) - manifested in defeat large blood vessel - the aorta and its branches, which results in impaired blood supply to various organs, including the absence of a pulse. This disease is more common in girls aged 10 to 15 years, but it also occurs in preschool children, and the case for its more severe.

Takayasu's disease can be complicated by aneurysm of thoracic and abdominal aorta and coronary vessels of the heart to slow its progressive occlusion (decrease in lumen) that gives rise to attacks of angina and myocardial infarction.

Vasculitis in children is more severe and require prompt appropriate medical care.

Galina Romanenko