Can someone with hydrocephalus play sports?
Shunts are, in fact, difficult to break or dislodge and most sports – with few exceptions – should be encouraged. Children with Hydrocephalus, like all children, should be encouraged to try a variety of games and sports. They can play all non-contact sports like rounders, track events, cross- country running.
Can you run with hydrocephalus?
For some of our athletes living with hydrocephalus, running provides a release when their shunts are under draining. Jennifer, an adult living with hydrocephalus who has had 108 brain surgeries, shared that, “… when I am under draining or experiencing severe body pain, it is a stress reliever and helps me drain more.
Can you play sports with a brain shunt?
Children with shunts should avoid contact sports, such as football or rugby, which may cause injury to the shunt valve or a head injury. An excellent activity to improve balance, coordination and fitness, this should be fine for people with VP shunts. …
Who is more likely to be diagnosed with hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus can occur at any age, but is most common in infants and adults age 60 and older. It affects adult males and females, as well as people of different races, about equally. Experts believe that normal-pressure hydrocephalus accounts for five to six percent of all dementia cases.
How serious is hydrocephalus in adults?
Cerebrospinal fluid normally flows through the ventricles and bathes the brain and spinal column. But the pressure of too much cerebrospinal fluid associated with hydrocephalus can damage brain tissues and cause a range of impairments in brain function.
What causes a baby to be born with a big head?
One of the most common reasons for macrocephaly is something that doctors call “benign familial macrocephaly.” In other words, big heads run in your family. A doctor might determine that a baby’s big head is inherited by measuring the heads of the parents.
How common is hydrocephalus in infants?
Hydrocephalus affects about 1 in every 500 newborns and it is one of the most common birth defects.