Spina Bifida is a birth defect in which the bones of the vertebrae do not form completely around the spinal cord. It can occur anywhere along the vertebrae causing a bulge under the skin where the opening is. Spina Bifida is the most common birth defect of neural tube defects. There are two types of Spina Bifida. The mildest and most common form is called Spina Bifida Occulta. This spinal defect is hidden under the skin and doesn't usually cause problems or need treatment. Doctors estimate 10-24% of the general population unknowingly has this defect. The rare, but severe form is known as Spina Bifida Manifesta. Spina Bifida Manifesta is separated into two classes. The first is known as Meningocele. This is where Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) leaks out of the spinal canal, causing a swollen area over the baby's spine. The second class is called Myelomeningocele. Here the spinal nerves push out of a segment of the spine, against the underside of the skin. Nerves are often damaged or even destroyed. In worst cases, the skin is open when born and the nerves are exposed to the outside of the body.
Doctors are not certain of the exact cause of Spina Bifida, but believe that both genetics and environmental factors are involved. Spina Bifida develops in the fetus early in pregnancy, often before a woman knows she's pregnant. In the United States, 1 out of every 2,000 children is born with Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida Manifesta is most common in babies born to women whose ancestors came from the British Isles. It is less common in those whose ancestors came from Africa. Women who have had one child with Spina Bifida are more likely to have another child with Spina Bifida also. Other causing factors include a Folic acid deficiency, excessive use of alcohol, exposure to high temperatures, having diabetes, being obese, and taking medications such as those given for epilepsy and acne.
Symptoms of Spina Bifida differ on the severity of the disorder.
"You have Spina Bifida," the doctor told me. ... That's why I decided to do my I-Search paper on spina bifida. ... I wanted to learn everything possible about spina bifida occulta. ... The first article I came across was from the Brain Encyclopedia, title "spina bifida." ... It was just a very broad overview of what spina bifida was. ...
The Cost of Raising a Child with Special Needs The cost of raising a child with Spina Bifida, a birth defect that affects the spinal cord, poses a serious question to the parent(s). ... A fetus diagnosed with Spina Bifida, while still in the mother's womb, is considered a high-risk pregnancy. ... Learning disabilities, bladder incontinence, and paralysis are the most common problems with Spina Bifida. ... In many instances these visits with various physicians are held in Spina Bifida clinics for convenience to the parent. ... Although there are many things to consider when having a...
According to the journal article, "Is Maternal Obesity a Risk Factor for Anencephaly and Spina Bifida? " the authors indicate that, "compared with average-weight women, obese women (pregravid body mass index greater than 29) had almost twice the risk of having an infant with anencephaly or spina bifida " (Watkins, Scanlon, Mulinare, and Khoury, 1996). A strong association has been demonstrated between a woman's pre-pregnancy BMI and risk for offspring with certain birth defects, particularly anencephaly and spina bifida. ...
1. Greenstick Fracture A fracture in a young soft bone in which the bone bends or breaks. This type of fracture may be caused by overexertion of muscles or sudden traumatic pulling of part of the body during an accident. Although the name is deceiving, the bone is often broken and hard to find on x-...
Special needs baby can mean a variety of things, such as; prematurely, Spina Bifida, Down Syndrome, congenital heart disease, exposed bowel, etc Many times, like in premature babies, they need a nasal gastric tube put in for their feedings because they do not have enough energy to eat. ...
Congenital Malformations Spina Bifida occulta first appears around 1000 BC in the sacrum of a 25-year-old woman. With an incidence rate of 70% spina bifida occulta was one of the more common malformations in the entire prehistoric South American body. In fact, differential grave goods indicate that those born with characteristics of spina bifida occulta were shaman (Gerszten et al. 2001). ...
Mental Retardation My topic is disorders that are usually first evident in infancy, childhood or adolescence. Some examples of this are attention deficit, anxiety and mental retardation. Attention deficit is a behavioral syndrome in children who very easily get distracted, are restless, a...
