[Primary intra-cerebral hemorrhage in the new born, nursling and child (author's transl)].

: The authors report 6 cases of intracerebral hemorrhages in 6 children, of what appears to be, of primary origin. 3 cases concern children between the ages of 4 and 14 years; the 3 others are situated shortly after birth or during the first months of life. A review of the literature emphasizes the sporadic nature of these cases and the persistance of diagnostic and etiological problems as to the cause of these hemorrhages. In the course of reviewing articles as well as our own personal series, it is evident that the cat scanner has demonstrated its qualifications as a diagnostic tool in the early detection of the lesions, permitting a better adapted treatment, thus improving their prognosis. The prognosis appears to be linked : --to an early diagnosis --to whether or not the hemorrhage is of massive nature or not --to the precise location of the hematoma --to the neurological state of the patient at the time of treatment --to the absence of an associated pathologie (severe prematurity, coagulation pathology). The long distance prognosis in the case of these apparently primary hemorrhages remains uncertain, due to the high rate of recidivism at a later unpredictable date (one month or several years later); to the occurence or not of a hydrocephalus especially in the case of young infants; and frequent sequels affecting superior functions. This long distance prognosis seems, however, to be little affected by the recent acquisitions in diagnostic testing.