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Congenital Brain Defect

The congenital brain defect refers to the abnormality in the brain generally present at the birth. These defects are of several types and each one of them has different effects. They can vary greatly from mild to severe conditions. In the first month of conception, the brain starts to trim and continues to develop. If a disturbance or interference is formed in this developing process, it may cause serious damage to the brain and skull. The disease is one of the top death-defying diseases in Kuwait. Let us discuss the disease in detail for a clear understanding of its etiology and types.

CAUSES OF DISEASE

There is no particular cause of the disease. However, a variety of genetic and environmental factors may have a link to the development of this death-defying disease. Some of these factors are listed below:

• Gene Defects
• Infection
• Drug Usage
• Other Trauma to an unborn fetus

Surprisingly, some of the brain defects are also symptoms of trisomy. This disease occurs when a third chromosome enters instead of two chromosomes. Dandy-Walker Syndrome and Chiari II are some of the defects that are related to a trisomy.

TYPES OF CONGENITAL BRAIN DEFECTS

There are several types of congenital brain defects out of which some are caused by neural tube defects. The neural tube typically closes between the third and fourth week after conception in the spinal cord. In result, the tissue within the tube can’t develop properly that results in the neural tube. This neural tube can cause the following types of Congenital Brain Defects:

• Anencephaly
• Encephalocele
• Arnold-Chiari or Chiari II
• Hydrocephalus
• Dandy-Walker syndrome
• Holoprosencephaly
• Megalencephaly
• Microcephaly

SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE

Generally, the symptoms of congenital brain defects depend upon the side and area of the defect. So the symptoms vary accordingly. Each type has its own symptoms and impairments. The symptoms may not appear continuously or before the growth delay of your child. While some of the types do not show any sign or symptom until the adulthood. Moreover, some types don’t even have any symptom. However, the children born with congenital brain defects can have some of these symptoms:

• Cardiovascular disorders
• Gastrointestinal defects
• Cleft lip and palate
• Seizures
• Head pain
• Muscle weakness
• Reduced vision
• Bladder and bowel problems

DIAGNOSING AND TREATING THE DISEASE

(Photo by Macrovector via Canva.com)

In order to diagnose the congenital brain defect, the doctors might ask to have ultrasound of the child. If the disease is suspected, MRI scan might be used to see the details of the brain and spine abnormality. Identification of the disease as part of prenatal screening may also be advised by the specialist. For this purpose, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is used.  

Just like the symptoms, the treatment also depends upon the type of the defect and severity of the condition. Most of the treatments only treat the symptoms depending on the type of disease. For instance, different medications like anticonvulsants can be used to treat the seizures. Moreover, some of the conditions can be treated surgically. Best surgery can be decompression surgery that is decided at a very serious stage.