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Hydrocephalus develops when cerebrospinal fluid accumulates abnormally within the brain, causing the ventricles to enlarge and potentially increasing pressure on surrounding brain tissue. In infants and children, the condition can affect neurological development and may lead to seizures, motor limitations, developmental delays, vision concerns, or other lasting medical needs.
Hydrocephalus can be present at birth or develop afterward from bleeding in the brain, infection, or complications of premature birth. When abnormal prenatal findings are not followed up, symptoms after birth are overlooked, or diagnosis and treatment are delayed, the pressure on a child’s brain can cause serious, lasting harm.
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Cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, normally circulates through spaces within and around the brain and spinal cord. It helps protect the central nervous system and is continuously produced and absorbed by the body.
Hydrocephalus occurs when the normal circulation or absorption of this fluid is disrupted. As CSF builds up, the ventricles within the brain can enlarge and place pressure on surrounding tissue.
Hydrocephalus may be present at birth or develop later.
Potential causes in infants can include:
Possible signs in an infant may include:
When these symptoms appear, imaging and neurological evaluation can confirm whether hydrocephalus is present.
Public-health surveillance shows that congenital hydrocephalus is a recognized birth condition. A CDC-supported analysis of birth-defects surveillance programs in nine U.S. states estimated congenital hydrocephalus at approximately 6.73 cases per 10,000 live births.
A hydrocephalus case can support a legal claim when the evidence shows that a healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care and that the failure caused or contributed to additional harm.
Potential questions may involve whether providers:
Even when a child is born with hydrocephalus, a delay in diagnosis or treatment can allow pressure to build and cause additional neurological injury. The records can show when the condition should have been identified and how the delay harmed the child.
Some forms of hydrocephalus or abnormal ventricular enlargement may be identified before birth through prenatal imaging.
An ultrasound may reveal enlarged ventricles or another structural finding involving the developing brain. Depending on the findings and stage of pregnancy, healthcare providers may recommend further imaging, additional monitoring, or evaluation by another medical professional.
Records relevant to a potential legal review can include:
An abnormal ultrasound finding calls for follow-up. Providers are expected to recognize the finding, track it with additional imaging, and refer the family for specialized evaluation when indicated.
If significant ventricular enlargement was documented but not appropriately evaluated, a legal investigation may examine whether further monitoring or testing should have occurred.
Not every case is identified prenatally.
After birth, pediatric healthcare providers may monitor head circumference, neurological development, feeding, muscle tone, alertness, and other clinical findings.
A steadily increasing head circumference can be one sign that additional evaluation is needed, particularly when it occurs alongside neurological symptoms.
Other possible warning signs include:
When several of these signs appear together, they call for prompt evaluation. A legal review may become relevant when a pattern of concerning findings develops and parents believe the condition was not appropriately investigated.
For example, medical records may show head circumference increasing across several visits while other neurological concerns were also documented. The investigation may consider whether the overall clinical picture reasonably called for imaging or referral.
Treatment generally focuses on reducing excess cerebrospinal fluid and relieving pressure on the brain.
One common treatment involves placement of a shunt. A shunt redirects CSF from the brain to another area of the body where the fluid can be absorbed.
Other children may undergo a procedure intended to create another pathway for CSF circulation.
The appropriate treatment depends on factors such as:
Children treated for hydrocephalus often require continued follow-up.
A shunt, for example, may require monitoring because blockage, infection, displacement, or other complications can interfere with its function.
A shunt malfunction can cause pressure to build quickly. When serious harm occurs after treatment, the legal question often involves whether healthcare providers recognized and responded to signs that the shunt was not working.
The consequences of a delayed diagnosis depend on how quickly pressure increased, the cause of the hydrocephalus, and the condition of the brain.
Continued CSF accumulation can increase pressure on brain tissue. If this pressure remains untreated, neurological damage may become more severe.
A potential malpractice investigation may therefore examine:
Causation is essential. Medical evidence can show how prolonged pressure on the brain caused additional harm that earlier diagnosis and treatment would have prevented or reduced.
A potential claim may involve questions about prenatal care, pediatric diagnosis, neurological treatment, or follow-up after treatment.
Depending on the facts, the investigation may examine whether providers:
The evidence must establish both a departure from the accepted standard of care and a connection between that conduct and the resulting injury.
The investigation uses the records to show where the care fell short and how that failure harmed the child.
Arizona law establishes filing deadlines for medical malpractice actions.
Under A.R.S. § 12-542, an action involving injury to another person, including a cause of action for medical malpractice, generally must be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues.
Claims involving children can require additional analysis under Arizona law. Parents may also have claims that are legally distinct from those belonging to the child.
Families should therefore obtain guidance based on their individual circumstances rather than assume that one general filing period applies to every claim.
Earlier investigation can also help preserve prenatal, pediatric, neurological, and treatment records and establish when concerning findings first appeared.
If your child developed hydrocephalus and you have questions about prenatal, newborn, or pediatric care provided in Mesa, Snyder & Wenner can review the medical evidence and explain whether further investigation may be appropriate.
Hydrocephalus occurs when cerebrospinal fluid accumulates abnormally in the brain, enlarging the ventricles and potentially increasing pressure on surrounding brain tissue.
Yes. Some children have congenital hydrocephalus associated with developmental or structural conditions. Others develop hydrocephalus after birth because of bleeding, infection, premature birth, or another neurological condition.
Possible signs include rapid head growth, an unusually large head, a bulging soft spot, vomiting, excessive sleepiness, irritability, feeding difficulties, seizures, abnormal eye positioning, or developmental concerns.
Some cases may be suspected through prenatal ultrasound or other imaging when enlarged ventricles or related structural findings are identified. When those findings appear, follow-up imaging and specialist referral help confirm the diagnosis and plan care for delivery.
A hydrocephalus case can involve medical negligence when providers fail to meet the accepted standard of care and that failure causes or contributes to additional harm. Examples can include failing to follow up on enlarged ventricles seen on a prenatal ultrasound, failing to act on rapidly increasing head circumference, or failing to recognize signs of a shunt malfunction.
Yes. Untreated fluid buildup increases pressure on the brain, and the longer it continues, the more severe the neurological damage can become. Head-circumference measurements, imaging dates, and neurological findings can show how the delay affected the child.
Relevant records may include prenatal imaging, newborn examinations, head-circumference measurements, pediatric visits, neurological findings, brain imaging, hospital records, neurosurgical documentation, treatment records, and developmental evaluations.
Treatment commonly involves reducing excess cerebrospinal fluid and pressure. A shunt may be used to redirect fluid, while other procedures may be appropriate depending on the cause and circumstances.
Depending on the condition, a child may need neurological or neurosurgical monitoring, imaging, therapy, medication, developmental services, educational support, assistive equipment, or personal care.
Our attorneys review when abnormal findings or symptoms first appeared and how healthcare providers responded. When appropriate, we work with qualified medical professionals to evaluate the standard of care, causation, and long-term consequences before determining whether further legal action may be appropriate.
