Spina Bifida is a condition that affects a person’s spine and can sometimes be confused with scoliosis, but the two conditions are very different. Spina Bifida can occur anywhere along the spine. It develops when the neural tube does not close for some reason during the fetal development process. Because the spinal cord doesn’t form and close as it should, damage often results to it. Some people with Spina Bifida may never experience symptoms while others may have severe complications over the course of their life.
Here are some of the most important facts that you can know about this birth defect.
1. There are three primary types of this birth defect.
The most common form of Spina Bifida is also the most serious type. A fluid sac comes through an opening on the back of the baby and there are nerve tissues and even part of the spinal cord exposed in this sac. Complications can even include paralysis when this happens. The second form also includes the fluid sac, but the spinal cord is not present. Occulta is the third version because the sac doesn’t go through the skin, so it may not be discovered until an x-ray is taken.
2. A fourth version involves spinal cord malformations.
There is also a type of Spina Bifida that creates problems with the shape and size of the spinal cord itself. There are usually malformations of bone and fat involved with this version. It can also cause some forms of paralysis and make it difficult for someone to go to the bathroom.
3. There is no known cause for this birth defect.
The exact reasons why Spina Bifida occur in a child during fetal develop are not known. Researchers do know that having appropriate levels of folic acid and other B vitamins can help to reduce the chances of this disorder from occurring. Environmental and genetic factors are also thought to play a role in the development of the birth defect.
4. Spina Bifida doesn’t create learning disabilities.
The IQ levels of people with this birth defect are directly comparable to the general population. Because it occurs along the spinal cord, the placement of the defect is a critical component to the movement abilities that person will have. Almost all nerves below a malformation caused by Spina Bifida will be affected in some way.
5. There is no way to fix the problem.
Treatments for Spina Bifida involve making life more comfortable for the child affected. Nerve damage may spontaneously repair on its own, but there’s nothing a doctor can do to stimulate this process. Some children may need surgery as they grow to relieve pressure on the spine from a malformation, while those who have a fluid sack with the nerves exposed will have the opening closed immediately to prevent infection.
Spina Bifida can be a mild birth defect or it can have serious consequences. New treatments involve prenatal surgery and this showing some promising results, but more research needs to be completed in order to really nail down the causes of this birth defect and how to repair it.