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Myths about Hydranencephaly

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Dear Doctor Letter

Hydranencephaly Survey 2006

Results

We have recently downloaded results from the suvey that has been conducted online for 1 year. The following are preliminary results only and are offered here as an example of what we're learning about our children. This "research" is not done in a scientific manner. I will post new results as I get them.

Hydrocephalus: 84% of the children have it
83% of those children have shunts

Seizures: 80% have them
Ketogenic diet: out of the 5 who tried it, it worked for 4
Only 30% of the children who have seizures, have had their seizures picked up on a EEG
61% have "absences": this is mentioned in Bjorn's article as proof that our kids are conscious-they couldn't become unresponsive if they weren't conscious

Other
68% of the children have problems regulating their temps, Of these 60% are most likely to have a low temp.
14% have Diabetes Insipidus (not as many as I'd expected)
 
Life span
Of the children who had died 69% did so after their first birthday, of those still living 62% are over the age of 1

Child's mood: Happy 61%
Mood during first year: irritable 60% (so there's hope for those who have babies that are always crying)
 
Physical
Child's tone (how floppy or tight they are):
Tight (high tone): 48%,
Floppy (low tone): 7%,
both floppy and tight: 44%

Clonus (tremor in the leg not related to a seizure)
Yes: 62%
No:38%

Hips:
Subluxed (partly out): 42%
Of those: 
22.22% were the left hip, 14% right hip, 64% had both subluxed
Dislocated: 29%
of those: 31% were the left hip, 18% right, 50% had both dislocated
Hip Surgery: 21%
Surgeries: 80% had soft tissue (adductor tendon release)
                   53% had hip reconstruction surgeries (osteotomies)
                    6% (1 person): had a femoral resection (head of femur removed)
of those who have had surgery: 46% had one hip surgery
                                                      26% had 2
                                                      26% had 3

Spine:
39% have scoliosis
19% have kyphosis (spine curved forward)

2 children (2%) have had surgery for scoliosis

19% of the children have had botox injections

If yes, where (what part of the body) and how many times?

 

Answer

11

so far 1x only (bilateral gastrocs, right posterior tibialis, left & right elbow flexors)

13

hands, elbows, hamstrings

16

Is having them in a months time

17

biceps and abductors

20

Legs twice, arms

23

knees, arms, legs, feet -5 times

30

shoulders, elbows, thumbs & fingers--3 or 4 times

36

shoulders arms hands and feet

37

arms, wrists, hamstrings twice

41

hands and elbows

42

Adductors every 6 months

43

behind his knees his hamstrings

45

But they are planned in the future

47

saliva glands various times (about 3)

56

thumb spaces, knees, elbows

71

thighs once

81

twice in groin

86

wrists, legs

Of those who had botox, they worked in 88% of the children

 

60% are aware of objects
90% know family members
88% know the difference between family and strangers
76% indicate that they recognize someone or something
85% show that they recognize certain voices
89% can be comforted more by one person than another

 

Is your child aware of his/her surroundings?
Yes: 80%
No: 20%

 

 

Shows awareness of surroundings by:

Age started

Changed ?

how

1

looking around, listening to what is going on

about 5 years

 

Yes

 

noticed more and more

2

no

 

 

 

3

smiles when approached, gets startled, wants to be picked up, fusses if left alone, turn towards sounds

from birth

Yes

became calmer, likes to alone more, entertains herself better

 

4

laughs at stimuli

1 year

Yes

more aware of surroundings

5

smiles and laughs

12 months

Yes

progressing beyond anything we were told he would ever do!

6

looking, start or stop crying

birth

Yes

become more prominent and consistent, responds to a larger variety of things

7

smiles, looks at you, turns head toward you, listens intently

as an infant

Yes

more aware as got older

 

8

No

 

 

 

9

e.g. .he seems to be more relaxed whenever he comes "home" after being out.  He'll look around the room and start smiling (as if to say he's happy to be home).

n/a

n/a

n//a

10

a. attitude, facial expression, smiles

b. facial expression/ movement

a.. n/a

b. 3 months

a. n/a

b. Yes

a. n/a

b. more aware

11

by showing different emotions depending on where he is.

 

No

 

12

no

 

 

 

13

looks to people talking to her, looks to TV or sounds, coos, vocalizes

4 months

Yes

she has gotten more aware as seizures have come under control

14

looks at person in room

1 (?yr or mo)

no

 

15

no

 

 

 

16

Eyes get big, smiles, makes sounds, turns to sounds

1 (?yr or mo)

Yes

better as he has gotten older.  Differs with health

17

smiling . responding with his eyes

9 months

Yes

more responsive

18

no

 

 

 

19

She has wonderful hearing and recognizes different people and places

3mos.

 

Yes

 

She has gotten better and better at recognizing that certain sounds mean things

20

Listens, sometimes looks, has mood changes

birth

No

 

 

21

no

 

 

 

22

smiles coos

4months

 

 

23

facial expression, smile, laugh

1 year

Yes

 

more aware, interactive all the time

24

Eye movement and making sounds

 

15 months

 

No

 

 

25

Moves towards voice, or listens quietly

Right away to mom and dad

 

 

 

26

turning toward noise, startles

8m

 

 

27

bright eyes, smile, moves head from side to side

6 months

Yes

 

more aware

28

is happiest at home - as soon as we get there. looks at and calms only for familiar people

3 months old

No

 

29

n/a

 

 

 

30

seems comfortable & relaxed, looks around.  But if he's unsure of where he is, he pulls his arms up, tenses up, may look down so much so that people think he's asleep (hoods his eyes)

he's always done this

 

Yes

 

He's shown more awareness over the past year

 

31

No

 

 

 

32

a. n/a

b. n/a

a. n/a

b. n/a

a. n/a

b. n/a

a. n/a

b. n/a

33

looks at things

6 months

No

 

 

34

 

from birth

Yes

 

diminished

 

35

reacts to loud noise, sunlight, touch

always

No

 

36

smiles, laughs, turns head, responses to social interactions

6mths?

 

Yes

 

was very irritable till started Tegretol

 

37

  1. blinks, smiles, laughs, responses to stimuli
  2. laughs, giggles, turns head

a. birth

b.most always

 

a. No

b. Yes

 

 

when over sedated by seizure meds

38

n/a

 

 

 

39

  1. No
  2. no

 

 

 

 

40

looks around, makes noises, waves arms or legs

since birth showed some signs of awareness

 

 

 

41

when he is someplace strange, he keeps his eyes downcast.  people always think he's asleep when we have him in public

 

1 year

 

Yes

 

he has grown more aware of different places and definitely different voices

 

42

No

 

 

 

 

43

a. n/a

b. he makes sounds and smiles

 

a. n/a

b. about 2/12

 

a. n/a

b. No

 

a. n/a

 

44

listens and moves his head  and he jabbers

 

No

 

 

45

She can hear very well and knows voices. She will 'holler' at us

birth

 

Yes

 

She is becoming more alert

 

46

Recognition of familiar by smiles

4-6 weeks

No

 

47

laughs or cries, tilts head towards sounds

very young

Yes

 

when ill, he was less responsive

48

no

 

 

 

49

n/a

 

Yes

more awareness

50

n/a

 

 

 

51

n/a

 

 

 

52

Smiles, kicks oohs and aahs interacts or cries

birth

 

Yes

improved especially likes swimming and can say three word sounds for ma - mama gaa- for grandad - jaaa for jamie also "leaps" out of arms to person she wants to go to

53

(yes) n/a

 

 

 

54

Very alert, knows her own home, mommy, nurse, etc.

3 months

Yes

much more awareness of surroundings

55

facial, smile, eyes searching although he's cortically blind

3 months

No

 

56

Smiles, coos, happy, "talkative"

12 months

Yes

She has become more familiar with her "home" surroundings

57

eyes & smile or cry

1 year

No

 

58

No

 

 

 

59

moving eyes and sometimes cooing

1

Yes

better then to worse

60

a. Recognize person by voices, enjoy listening to birds and try to locate the birds

b. Smile if one walking toward him or calling his name.

a. 1 year

b. 4 yrs

 

 

a. Yes

b. Yes

 

a. Sometime he just ignore the surrounding and show no reaction so it's difficult to tell if he is aware or not

b. more awareness

 

61

looking around, grinning

very early on around 1 yr

Yes

 

increased awareness

62

calms down

1 yr

n/a

 

63

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

64

facial expressions, agility

~ 6 weeks

n/a

n/a

65

a. n/a

b. cries when certain people hold him, would only take a bottle from Mom at first - now takes bottle from rest of family members/friends.  Cries as soon as placed into car seat or swing.  Stops crying when picked up.  Watches other children intently.

 

a. n/a

b. Since we got him at 17 days old

 

a. n/a

b. Yes

 

a. n/a

b. Awareness improved after shunt placed at 2 mos.

 

 

66

looks around knows when we are at therapy or school , verbalizes

2-3 yrs

No

 

67

tracks with eyes and fusses

1mo.

No

 

68

she responds to her parents' voices, her brother's also

recently

 

 

69

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

70

a. no

b. No

 

 

 

 

71

laughing looking around

not sure

Yes

grew he shows more awareness

72

He looks around a lot and looks at everything and notices his father and I and he can follow objects

cant remember

No

 

73

a. turns head toward sounds and voices

b. Smiles and tries to talk ( i.e. baby sounds )

a. 8 yrs old

b. about 7 yrs old

a. No

b. No

 

 

74

no

 

 

 

75

n/a

 

 

 

76

turns towards parents voices

over 1 year

No

 

 

77

cooing, looking, crying normal baby ways

birth

No

 

78

smiles when she is home and in a familiar place with people she knows

n/a

No

 

79

follows with eyes, laughs when listening to tv or music

6mo

 

No

 

 

80

Yes: n/a

 

 

 

81

No

 

 

 

82

No

 

 

 

83

smiling, looking around

when we got him was aware - 4 months

No

 

 

84

laughs or cries

1 yr.

Yes

she cries when we take her to respite or Children’s world

85

n/a

 

 

 

86

By reacting to others.  She's very interactive.

3 or 4 months

No

 

87

turns toward familiar voices and sounds. moves eyes and appears to be looking around particularly in new environment, cries for needs to be met example hungry, soiled diaper. needs new position or wants to be held

always has

n/a

n/a

88

n/a

 

 

 

 

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This website is funded in loving memory of Jason S. by his mother Kammy

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