Outlook (Prognosis)
Without treatment, up to 6 in 10 people with hydrocephalus will die. Those who survive have different amounts of intellectual, physical, and neurological disabilities.
The outlook depends on the cause. Hydrocephalus that is not due to an infection has the best outlook. Persons with hydrocephalus caused by tumors usually do very poorly.
Most children with hydrocephalus that survive for 1 year will have a fairly normal life span.