Stressed Out Moms, Bigger Babies Heads?

Nadia Nawaz
Wazirabad: “A baby with hydrocephalus is not just a challenge for parents; it becomes a societal burden,” said Abida Bibi*, a resident of Wazirabad, Punjab.
Abida Bibi*, who is currently expecting another baby, attributes the development of hydrocephalus in her daughter to mental stress during her pregnancy. She said her daughter was diagnosed with hydrocephalus four months after her birth.
It is worth mentioning here that Bibi coped with the demands of daily household tasks, such as laundry, and other work to maintain a functioning home. However, the strain took a toll on her mental well-being and ultimately led to the development of hydrocephalus in her daughter, Tahira, leaving her dependent for her entire life.
The enduring struggles of Tahira’s treatment span many years and are marked by numerous challenges encountered in various hospital visits, Bibi added. At the age of 14, Tahira, despite continuous medical treatment, remains bereft of the simple joys of life.
Nasreen Bibi*, mother of Abida, said that they were experiencing severe financial difficulties and constant strife during her pregnancy.
Despite the challenging economic circumstances, Nasreen* said that she took her granddaughter to Lahore for medical care.
According to health experts, hydrocephalus, the condition Tahira suffers from, manifests in an unusually enlarged head size and rapid head frame growth. Patients also display abnormalities such as downward eye deviation, sunken eyes, irritability, and lethargy.
Tayyab, a labourer by profession, said his family lives in a rented house in Wazirabad, and he is working in a factory. He encounters financial challenges that cause mental stress for his wife, and their son was diagnosed with hydrocephalus just 15 days after birth.
When their son’s head started swelling, local hospital doctors revealed the presence of fluid in his head. At four months old, Tayyab’s son underwent surgery at Lahore Memorial Children’s Hospital, showing initial improvement. However, at the age of nine months, he has not fully recovered.
Dr. Faiza, a child specialist at Civil Hospital Wazirabad, said hydrocephalus is a congenital disease that occurs during childbirth, affecting the complete development of the child’s brain.
She said hydrocephalus mostly develops in children of mothers who undergo ultrasounds during the first three to four months of pregnancy. The disease can be detected, but in Pakistan, where literacy levels are low, many do not opt for ultrasound, resulting in children facing the challenges of this disease throughout their lives.
According to Dr Faiza, when the disease is detected in a child, doctors suggest the mother abort the child immediately.
She said, “Hypercephalus’s patients are not only a burden on parents but also on society.” Treatment for such children is not available in Sialkot, and they are sent to Lahore Children’s Hospital, where a shunt is inserted into their brains. However, despite the shunt placement, complete recovery is not always guaranteed.
Sobia, a resident of Rahwali Cantonment, said that she experienced mental stress due to domestic conflicts during her pregnancy. Sobia said her youngest son, Hamza, was diagnosed with hydrocephalus shortly after his birth, adding that her husband divorced her, blaming her for the child’s condition.
She said Hamza, who is now 14 years old, remains physically disabled despite numerous efforts for treatment.
Hydrocephalus is one such disease, where the child experiences reduced sleep duration, seizures, feeding difficulties, and irritability.
Shamsa Bibi, a staff member at civil hospitals in Wazirabad, said the hospital received a high percentage of paediatric cases related to fever, hydrocephalus, and pneumonia. However, the lack of necessary machinery and treatment options at these hospitals poses a significant challenge.
Shamsa said that hydrocephalus patients are not admitted to local hospitals, and their registration is often recorded under various other categories like fever, pneumonia, and breath disorder.
She mentioned that the facility mainly deals with children up to six months old and is limited in capacity due to a shortage of ventilators and other machinery.
Hydrocephalus patients are not admitted to Civil Hospital Wazirabad, and the condition’s prevalence is increasing due to the mothers’ mental depression, said another staff member of the hospital on the condition of anonymity.
Shamsa further said that the civil hospital primarily registers patients from surrounding areas such as Pathanwala, Baniawala, Thatti Araia, Nizamabad, and more. Patients from these regions suffering from hydrocephalus are referred to the Lahore Children’s Hospital for treatment.
According to the data provided by the hospital management, 40 percent of patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus in the hospital admitted pneumonia in emergencies, 30 percent had a fever, and 20 percent had Down syndrome.
Dr Wajiha, an Associate Professor at Lahore Children’s Hospital, said hydrocephalus disease could occur due to the mental stress of the mother during pregnancy.
When mothers experience excessive mental stress during their pregnancies, the child’s brain cannot develop fully. Some children are born with hydrocephalus, while others develop it after a certain period, known as acquired hydrocephalus.
The jerks experienced by these children are due to the mental stress of the mother. Among the diseases prevalent in children, Dr Wajiha treats conditions such as hemophilia, hydrocephalus, thalassemia, neck torsion, language and speech impairments, intellectual disabilities, asthma, chickenpox, and gastric flu at Lahore Children’s Memorial Hospital.
The hospital has a 35 percent prevalence rate for hydrocephalus, and treatment includes the insertion of a shunt into the child’s brain. She said the cost of the shunt is around Rs 1.5 million, which parents bear with great difficulty, she added.
Dr Wajiha said many impoverished individuals cannot afford complete treatment for hydrocephalus, but with medications, doctors’ instructions, and exercise, children show improvement.
People from various districts, including Faisalabad, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, and more, come to Lahore Children’s Memorial Hospital for the treatment of hydrocephalus.
The case study names have been changed to protect their identities.
Nadia Nawaz is a contributor based in Wazirabad, Punjab. All information and facts provided are the sole responsibility of the writer