What is hydrocephalus?
A person with hydrocephalus has too much cerebrospinal fluid around the brain. The abnormally large amount of fluid places pressure on the brain, causing it to malfunction. Causes of hydrocephalus include a brain injury, meningitis, a brain tumor, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

What are the symptoms of hydrocephalus?
Symptoms of hydrocephalus in infants include excessive crying, lethargy, sleepiness, irritability, poor infant feeding, and muscle spasms. Symptoms of hydrocephalus in children and adults include headache, nausea, vomiting, poor coordination, confusion, difficulty walking, and double vision or a vision change.

How does the doctor treat hydrocephalus?
Treatment for hydrocephalus includes the placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. A VP shunt is a tube that drains extra fluid from around the brain, into the abdominal cavity. About 75 percent of people with hydrocephalus require a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt.