“Most times, people do not outgrow the need for a shunt. And they need to have them either enlarged or revised at certain times in their life.”

– Dr. David Goo, Emergency Pediatrics, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

12 percent of babies born in the U.S. are premature, and many of those children need lifelong medical treatment.

While many medical issues with premature babies and newborns can be resolved in the Neo-natal ICU, other problems need a lifetime of treatment.

Two-year-old Chamarria Owens is a prime example.

She arrived in the ER with a fever, and has been lethargic and vomiting for three days – all symptoms of a common virus.

“Now, her history is important,” says Dr. David Goo of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Chamarria weighed 2 pounds, 11 ounces at birth.

Not only was she 11 weeks early, but she also was born with hydrocephalus, or a build-up of fluid on the brain.

“Because of the pressure,” explains Dr. Goo, “she got an operation, which required them to put a tube into her brain and drain the fluid through the skull, down her neck, into her abdomen.”

The cause of her condition isn’t known – but most likely Chamarria will need a tube, known as a “shunt,” for the rest of her life.

“Anytime a baby has a shunt, any person has a shunt,” says Dr. Goo, “if they’re vomiting at all, you need to have them brought in immediately because it could be a sign of increased pressure on the brain.”

Chamarria is given a full body CAT scan – to make sure the shunt is still working.

“We have really good news,” says Dr. Goo, after seeing the scans, “that the CAT scan doesn’t show any changes. And so it doesn’t look like she’s having a malfunction of her shunt, which is great. And because she has the fever and the vomiting, I think it’s probably just an infection.”

She has a viral infection, easily treated with Motrin, fluids – and time.

“I’m glad it was no worse than that, says Chamarria’s grandmother, “you know, you never know.”

“No, you did the right thing,” says Dr. Goo.

“When a child with a shunt, a brain shunt starts vomiting, you have to come to the hospital. It’s important. You did the right thing.”

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• Signs of increased pressure in the brain include vomiting, headache, changes in behavior, decreased activity and crying. (Dr. David Goo, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta)




• Anytime a person with a shunt displays any symptoms of malfunction, seek medical attention immediately. (National Hydrocephalus Foundation)




• Having a shunt is a lifetime commitment, as there is no known cure for hydrocephalus. The average lifespan for a shunt is approximately ten years, until it needs to be replaced. (National Hydrocephalus Foundation)




• Hydrocephalus is one of the most common birth defects, occurring in 1 out of every 500 births. Most cases are congenital – and happen when there is an imbalance in production or absorption of cerebral spinal fluid. (National Hydrocephalus Foundation)

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• Hydrocephalus Association




• Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus




• American Association of Neurologist Surgeons

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