Hydrocephalus and ventriculomegaly

Abstract

An 18-month-old child presented to the emergency department with repeated vomiting. The child’s mother relayed that the vomiting occurred a few hours after having eaten. She didn’t report any diarrhea or abdominal cramping. On examination, the child was pale. He was afebrile but tachypneic; his pulse was 90 beats/min. Neurologically, the child was obeying commands and was alert but restless. His pupils were normal and reactive. The abdominal exam was normal with no tenderness, guarding, or rigidity. The preliminary diagnosis was food poisoning with resultant gastritis, and the decision in the emergency room was to obtain blood samples for chemistry, keep him under observation, and initiate IV hydration.