Symptomatology

1
Symptomatology

• Congenital Disorders
• Chapter 4

2
Congenital

• By definition means that you are born with the
  condition and/or disease
• May be present at birth (obvious) or not.
• Many of us may have a congenital defect and be
  unaware
• Many defects are therefore compatible with life.

3
Cerebral Palsy

• Bilateral
• Symmetrical
• Nonprogressive

4

• CNS damage before, during, or after birth.
• German measles, diabetes, toxemia, anoxia.
• Trauma
• Poisoning, meningitis

5
Types (3)

• Spastic
• Athetoid
• Ataxic

6
Spastic

• Impacts most children
• Hyperactive muscles
• Weakness
• Underdeveloped limbs
• Scissor gait

7
Athetoid

• Involuntary muscle movements
• Dystonia
• Arms more so than the legs
• Speech difficult
• Increased during stress

8
Ataxic

• Balance
• Coordination
• Nystagmus
• Unable to perform sudden movements

9
Important

• Some children will exhibit patterns of all three
  types.

10
What to look for

• Feeding difficulty
• Movements difficult
• Difficult separating legs for diaper change
• EEG

11
Treatment

• Cannot cure it
• Need to overcome functional disability
• Prognosis varies

12
Neural Tube Defects
13
NTDs

• Spina bifida
• Meningocele
• Myelomeningocele

14
What are they?

• Typically occur during the first trimester.
• Incomplete closing of vertebrae that surround the
  spinal cord.
• Varying degrees of severity

15
Spina Bifida Occulta

• Most common
• Least severe
• No protrusion of the cord or meninges
• Characteristic tuft of hair

16
Meningocele

• Protrusion of the spinal fluid and meninges into
  the sac.

17
Myelomeningocele

• Worst case scenario
• Sac contains meninges, CSF, and part of the cord
  and nerve roots.

18
Causes

• Again, first trimester
• Days 20-23
• Teratogen
• Xrays
• Viruses

19
Treatments

• Varies based on the severity of the problem
• Screening
• AFP
• Promote independence
• Decrease possibility of complications
• Folic Acid

20
Hydrocephalus
21
What is it?

• Too much CSF in the ventricles of the brain.
• Two types Communicating and non-communicating

22
Ventricles
23
Communicating Hydrocephalus

• Simply faulty absorption of CSF
• Bulging fontanels
• High-pitched crying
• Projectile vomiting

24
Non-communicating

• An obstruction of the flow of CSF
• Problems in fetal development
• Tumor
• Blood clot

25
Treatments

• Shunts