Andrew's Head Woes

As word gets around, we feel like we should let everyone know what is going on with our family. During a normal well-child visit on March 3rd for our son Andrew (15 months old), the nurse practitioner noticed that Andrew’s head measurement was a bit big for his age (above the 98th percentile) and that he was a bit slow in walking / talking. She was a bit concerned that he had a condition called hydrocephalus (an abnormal accumulation of liquid in the brain) and recommended that he get an ultrasound to evaluate this possibility. He had that ultrasound on Friday, March 5th, but the tightlipped technician did not let any information come out about the results.

On Monday morning, March 8th, we received the results of the exam: Andrew had hydrocephalus and would need treatment (brain surgery, always a scary phrase) very quickly to alleviate the pressure on his brain. Our pediatrician’s office scheduled us for a CT scan that same afternoon to confirm the diagnosis and help get Andrew ready for treatment. We took Andrew in and let him cry through the CT scan and waited for the results.

The results came in later that afternoon. Andrew did not have hydrocephalus, but instead the focus shifted to a large arachnoid cyst in his head. It is about 5cm x 5.6cm and causing some shifting to go on in the brain (as well as some other stuff). The recommended treatment (according to the local pediatrician) for his cyst is some form of head surgery in which a shunt is inserted that drains the excess liquid from his head. Another possibility is a more invasive procedure in which the doctor enters the head and cuts open the cyst (allowing the liquid to drain out), leaving behind no shunt to drain future liquid.

Further evaluation and treatment are not possible here in Tallahassee, so we have just been referred down to Shands in Gainesville. Andrew is scheduled to be seen by a pediatric neurosurgeon on Friday, after which we will (hopefully) have a treatment plan moving forward.