Which of the following is a sign of shunt malfunction in infants?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a sign of shunt malfunction in infants?

Explanation:
In infants, shunt malfunction often lets CSF build up in the brain, causing ventricles to enlarge (hydrocephalus). Because an infant’s skull sutures and fontanelles are still open, the head can expand as the ventricles grow. An increasing head circumference is, therefore, a classic sign of shunt failure. The other options don’t fit as well: a smaller head circumference suggests overdrainage rather than blocked drainage; a normal fontanelle implies no intracranial pressure change; a stable scalp isn’t a reliable indicator of shunt status.

In infants, shunt malfunction often lets CSF build up in the brain, causing ventricles to enlarge (hydrocephalus). Because an infant’s skull sutures and fontanelles are still open, the head can expand as the ventricles grow. An increasing head circumference is, therefore, a classic sign of shunt failure.

The other options don’t fit as well: a smaller head circumference suggests overdrainage rather than blocked drainage; a normal fontanelle implies no intracranial pressure change; a stable scalp isn’t a reliable indicator of shunt status.

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