speech delay-shunt malfunctions

July 22, 2000

Hi wonderful list families!

I'm doing some digging and wondering if any of you have some information that

may be helpful.

I'm looking for a good amount of detail on the function of the cerebellum. I'm

trying to link my son's speech delay to - something - and I think it may have

something to do with his Chiari. Anyone?

He's ahead of his age for receptive speech, but he's about 6 months behind for

expressive. I'm not really worried about it, I just want to be able to

understand it a bit better.

I'm also trying to keep my eyes open for first signs of something else. It's a

never ending watch for what may come next - when you're talking about Spina

Bifida. I've noticed his shunt has malfunctioned last week - for probably about

3 days or so. He still has a hole in his skull from his 3rd ventriculostomy and

it's been bulging. I watched it but didn't worry.

He was starting to throw-up toward the middle of the week and then the next

morning I really noticed that his hole was sunken really nicely. He was MUCH

happier too.

This happened once before, when he was much younger. He still had his fontanels

and I noticed it right away. Rushed him in for an ultrasound and his doctor

told me that it was working fine. These things clog up, build up pressure and

then flush themselves into working order again. They don't know exactly why,

but it's nothing to worry about unless it doesn't clear itself up.

I know I don't have to worry too, too much. It took 2 months before Brenden's

CSF built up enough to do something about it, then at 3.5 months they had to put

the shunt in because the 3rd ventriculostomy didn't work. So it will take a

while before his hydro. would cause problems - it's nice to know that after a

few days of vomiting it clears up.

I'm wondering if there's a connection between the speech delay and the shunt

malfunctioning??? Anyone??

To date he's only had the 2 brain surgeries and then the decompression in

January for his Chiari - so the damage from the surgeries themselves has been

minimal.

Thank you for your help.

Lawliss

mom of Brenden, 1yr+, SB (L4/L5), Hydro (VP shunt), Bilateral Clubfeet (AFO's),

Chiari II Malformation (Decompression and C1/C2 Laminectomy), Syringomyelia

(syrinx from C6 to base of spine - but diminishing!)

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