Brain Abscess Symptoms & Causes
What causes a brain abscess?
The most common causes are viruses and bacteria. Several factors may increase your child's chances of developing a brain abscess:
- congenital (present at birth) heart disease
- meningitis
- chronic middle ear and sinus infections
- dental or jaw infections
- infections of the face or scalp
- head injury or skull fracture
- traction (a device placed around the head to hold the head and neck areas still; used in patients with broken necks)
- shunt (devices used to drain excess amounts of cerebral spinal fluid)
Is a brain abscess common?
Brain abscesses can occur in any child, but they're more common in young, school-aged children and occur twice as often in boys than in girls.
What are the symptoms of a brain abscess?
Symptoms vary from child to child, based on their age. The most common include:
For babies and younger children: For older children:
