Microcephaly in the child, what it is and what it entails

Microcephaly is a problem that affects a baby's head circumference. Let's find out what are the causes and possible consequences.

When we talk about microcephaly we mean a particular condition in which the circumference of a child's skull is reduced compared to what it should have at his age.
It is a problem that can have both genetic and environmental causes and that can occur both in primary form (if present from birth, for example due to the presence of cytomegalovirus during pregnancy.) And secondary (when it develops later) . And all with symptoms that can vary from case to case.

Microcephaly: meaning and how to recognize it

The term microcephaly indicates a deficiency in the development of the skull.

For this reason, for microcephaly, the diagnosis usually occurs even before the baby is born. Often, in fact, it is recognizable through the normal diagnostic tests that are done during pregnancy. This can be useful to immediately go back to the probable causes and for and to think in advance of the various methods of intervention.

This is then followed by the measurement of the head circumference to which checks are usually made on the parents to understand whether or not it is a hereditary problem. In the case of children with microcephaly, other tests follow to look for possible related diseases.

It is in fact important to remember that microcephaly has symptoms of various types, some of which also lead to a recognition of the disease itself and its severity. Among these the most important to remember are epilepsy, poor height growth , neuro behavioral disorders, poor balance, etc …

The possible consequences of microcephaly

Speaking of microcephaly and the consequences that it can entail, among these, in addition to the symptoms indicated above, there are possible developmental delays, intellectual disabilities , movement problems, convulsions, vision or hearing disorders and problems that depend on both the severity of the situation that from its primary or secondary being.

For the same reason, adult microcephaly can be both mild and severe. In any case it is a permanent condition. This can be treated with the treatment of symptoms already present or with interventions aimed at resolving the physical and neurological ones present.