Hydro 101 - What is Hydrocephalus?

It has been almost a year since we were thrown into this whirlwind of having a child with hydrocephalus. I've certainly learned a lot and have found that there is a lot of confusion and misconceptions about the condition. Many people really have no idea what hydrocephalus really is. Let the Mighty B break it down for you a bit. :)

Hydrocephalus is the medical term for the condition commonly referred to as "water on the brain". The 'water' is cerebrospinal fluid (or CSF) and is produced in our brain, travels down and back up our spine, then coats the brain to nourish, cleanse, and protect it. CSF is then absorbed into our blood system and discarded by our body. In most cases with hydrocephalus, there is a blockage preventing the CSF from going on it's merry way. The CSF then backs up, enlarges the cavities in the brain (known as ventricles) and causes loads of problems.

I recently explained it to Riley in terms I knew he'd understand. Our brains are like sinks with the faucets constantly flowing. Gracie's sink got clogged and the water couldn't drain down properly. Dr. Yount (her neurosurgeon) is like Mario. He put new pipes in her brain to help drain the water.

So what causes hydrocephalus? Is there a cure? How is it treated? How does it affect the rest of the body? Stay tuned to learn more!