Although you may have not heard the world hydrocephalus (hi-dro-seff-a-lus), it is not an uncommon condition. Hydrocephalus has no ethnic or gender preferences – and it can develop at any time during gestation all the way through to senior adulthood.

Here are a few facts about Hydrocephalus:

• Hydrocephalus is one of the most common birth defects, each year one out of every 500 births results in hydrocephalus
• Another 6,000 children annually develop hydrocephalus during the first 2 years of life
• Brain injury occurs every 15 seconds in this country - and in some cases leads to the development of hydrocephalus
• There are approximately 75,000 discharges a year from hospitals in the U.S. with a diagnosis of hydrocephalus
• More than 50% of hydrocephalus cases are congenital
• 70-90% of children born with spina bifida also develop hydrocephalus
• CSF shunting procedures account for approximately $100 million health care spending in the United States alone - half of this amount is spent on shunt revisions
• In the past 25+ years, death rates associated with hydrocephalus have decreased from 54% to 5%, and the occurrence of intellectual disability has decreased from 62% to 30%
• Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus affects adults and can cause dementia, difficulty in walking and, urinary incontinence
• No statistics are kept (by our government), for those who develop

For more facts, please download our More Facts About Hydrocephalus informational sheet.