In Spina Bifida Occulta, one might form a dimple, depression, birthmark, or hairy patch over the skin where more than one vertebra is affected. Spina Bifida Manifesta is often associated with nerve damage that results in difficulty walking, bladder control, and coordination. The only true way to know if you have Spina Bifida is to get clinically diagnosed by a doctor.
In order to diagnose someone with Spina Bifida, several test need to be done. The maternal serum triple test uses blood samples from the mother to screen for fetal abnormalities, including neural tube defects (NTD). Elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) mean you are more likely to be having a baby with Spina Bifida. Amniocentesis is also done during the maternal serum triple test. They measure other levels of substances in the amniotic fluid. Spina Bifida is usually diagnosed when amniocentesis results confirm high levels of AFP and the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (ACH) and the ultrasounds show fetal abnormalities. After birth, Spina Bifida may be diagnosed by the appearance of the back and by using X-rays, MRI's, and CT scans. These methods may be used to evaluate suspected Spina Bifida.
Having a sufficient amount of Folic acid in your body when conceiving a baby is critical to preventing your child from developing Spina Bifida. All women of child-bearing age should consume a daily vitamin containing at least 400ug of folic acid. High risk women, those who have 1 child with Spina Bifida already, should consume 4000ug of folic acid daily. You can also get this B vitamin from foods such as avocados, black beans, and asparagus. Avoid high temperatures and excessive heat such as saunas and hot tubs. Avoid these things especially during the first couple of weeks of pregnancy. Watch out for fevers in the first couple weeks of pregnancy also. They can cause a child to develop Spina Bifida.
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition.
"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...
