Pediatric Neurologist Exam Results

(Please click on the photo to see more pictures.)

Before I get started, I think this has to post has to win the award for best blog title... maybe not.

Jake met with Dr. Manica, a very experienced (old) pediatric neurologist today. Dr. Manica is VERY personable, and took the time to not only explain why we were sent there, but to give us a mini-education on how the brain works. Once we had the fundamentals of the sides of the brain, the ventricles, the fissures, and the pores (arachnoid granulations), he was able to overlay our pediatrician's findings from the ultrasound so that we fully understood it. From a very high level, Jake is probably fine. He will have further tests, and his pediatricians need to pay close attention to his head growth, but for now they think he will likely outgrow his condition. Now, I'll try to explain what we learned.

In layman's terms, Jake DOES have too much fluid in his brain. Basically, the brain produces a bunch of fluid that the brain floats in, and to protect the spinal cord. This is not a pool of fluid, but a moving stream. After it leaves the brain, does it's job protecting stuff, it returns to the brain where it's sucked in by the pores and travels through the arteries to the heart, and eventually to the kidneys where it's passed out. The process typically takes 8 hours, and is started over. It's kind of like a continual flush of the system.

The problem Jake has, is his pores are a little too small to allow for the proper absorption and passage to the kidneys. This has caused some back pressure and has increased the amount of fluid in the top-front part of his brain. As his brain grows, hopefully the pores will also get larger, and have better capability to absorb the fluid. This article does a good job explaining hydrocephalus, but it is VERY technical, and provides information not relevant to Jake's condition.

If this was more serious, the fluid would back up all the way into where it is created (in the ventricles) which is on the inside of the brain. You can see why swelling there could cause problems. From the ultrasound, however, his ventricles appeared to by symmetrical and not shifted off-center.

Dr. Manica, then performed a neurological test that checked Jake's language skills, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and his social skills. He said Jake did excellent on all the tests for a nine month old even though he should really be tested as a 7 1/2 month old.

On the 17th, Jake will be headed back to the center for an MRI. The ultrasound was blurry in parts due to the fact that Jake was moving around. The MRI will give them a much better picture to make sure that their observations are correct. After the MRI, we will be meeting with a neurosurgeon to discuss the findings of the MRI, and then he can inform us of any further treatment that might be necessary.

We are all very happy with the news, and hope that the MRI will only confirm that he's doing OK, and will outgrow this problem. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

In other news, Michele visited with DLCnM yesterday on her last day of vacation. The whole family seems to be settling in well, and Maiya is starting out as a very good sleeper. We hope she keeps it up for Lynette's sake.