What is microcephaly?

Microcephaly is a rare disorder of the nervous system in which a child's head becomes small and underdeveloped. The child's brain stops growing properly. This can happen while the baby is still in the womb or in the early years after birth.

How does a child get microcephaly?

Your doctor may not be able to tell you why this happened to your child. In most cases, the exact cause is unknown.

This may be caused by:

Problem with your genes (congenital microcephaly)
Something in your environment (acquired microcephaly)

Congenital microcephaly is inherited. It is caused by defects in genes associated with early brain development. Microcephaly is often seen in children with Down syndrome and genetic disorders.

Acquired microcephaly means that the baby's brain has come into contact with something that is hindering its growth and development. Some things that can do this while the baby is in the womb:

Viral infections, including rubella, chickenpox, and possibly Zika, which is spread by mosquitos
Parasite infections, such as toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus
Toxic chemicals such as lead
Not getting enough food or nutrients
Alcohol
Drugs

Acquired microcephaly can also be caused by other things, including:

Hemorrhage or stroke in the newborn
Injury to the brain after birth
Spine or brain defects

How does the doctor know if a child has it?

Your doctor may diagnose microcephaly before or after your baby is born.

During pregnancy, an ultrasound may show that the baby's head size is smaller than expected. To really be sure of this, it is best to have the test at the end of the 2nd trimester or in the last 3 months of pregnancy.

After your baby is born, a healthcare professional will measure the widest part of your baby's head. The number is then marked on the growth chart. This tells the doctor how your baby's head is growing compared to other babies of the same age and gender. If your child's head circumference falls a certain point below average, it's microcephaly.

Head measurements are taken at each examination until the age of 2 or 3 years. If your child has microcephaly, their head size will be checked at every doctor's visit.

What symptoms will the child have?

Children with a mild case may have small heads but no other problems. Your baby's head will grow with age. But it will remain less than is considered normal.

Some children have normal intelligence. Others have learning problems, but they usually don't get worse as the child gets older.

Other symptoms may include:

Balance and coordination problems
Developmental delays
Trouble swallowing and problems with feeding
Hearing loss
Hyperactivity
Seizures
Short height
Speech problems
Vision problems

How is microcephaly treated?

There is no cure for microcephaly, but there are treatments that help with development, behavior, and seizures.

If your child has mild microcephaly, he will need regular checkups to monitor his growth and development.

Children with more severe cases require lifelong treatment to control symptoms. Some of these, such as seizures, can be life-threatening. Your doctor will discuss with you treatments that will keep your child safe and improve their quality of life.

Your child may need:

Medicines to control seizures and hyperactivity and to improve nerve and muscle function
Speech therapy
Physical and occupational therapy

What are the long term effects?

Your child's academic performance depends primarily on what caused the brain growth to stop. Children with a mild form of this disorder may not have other problems. They grow normally during childhood and adolescence and still reach age-appropriate growth milestones as they mature.

Others may have severe learning and movement problems. Children with microcephaly are more likely to suffer from other conditions such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

Can this be avoided?

During pregnancy, you can take the following steps to try and prevent acquired microcephaly:

Eat a healthy diet and take prenatal vitamins.
Don't drink alcohol or do drugs.
Stay away from chemicals.
Wash your hands often, and get treated for any illness as soon as you feel sick.
Have someone else change the litter box. Cat feces can spread the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis.
Use insect repellent when in wooded areas or countries known for mosquitos. Experts say insect repellent is safe to use while pregnant.

If you have a child with microcephaly and want to get pregnant again, talk to your doctor. Genetic counseling can help you understand your family's risk of contracting the disease.