October is spina bifida awareness month
October is spina bifida awareness month. Although most of you probably don’t know a lot about the birth defect, it is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the Unites States. Each day in the United States alone about eight children are born with the crippling birth defect.
What is spina bifida? Spina bifida literally means “split spine”. The spine does not close properly when the child is in the womb. The split can be anywhere along the spine and the level of the split determines the amount of paralysis or physical impairment the child will have. The lower the split along the spine the less physical disability and the higher the split the more disabling the condition will be.
Other medical conditions accompany the condition as well. About 80 percent of children born with spina bifida also have hydrocephalus. This is a condition where spinal fluid backs up into the brain because it cannot flow freely through the spinal canal due to the lesion. This condition is corrected by surgically placing a shunt or plastic tubing in the brain for drainage of the spinal fluid. The shunt normally drains into the abdominal cavity and is absorbed by the body.
Neurogenic bladder and difficulty with bowel control often accompanies spina bifida due to nerve damage along the spinal cord. This can be controlled by surgical procedures and bowel and bladder management programs along with medication.
Often children with spina bifida will have vision problems, curvature of the spine, learning and memory difficulties. They often go through numerous surgeries to correct orthopedic issues, shunt revisions and other related conditions. Medical equipment often involves braces, wheelchairs, prone standers, and adaptive equipment and furniture for the home and school or work.
What can be done to prevent spina bifida? Spina bifida is considered to be both a genetic and environmental issue. Women who are old enough to have babies should take folic acid before and during the first three months of pregnancy. Folic acid is a vitamin that the body needs to grow and be healthy. It is found in many foods, but the man-made form in pills is actually better absorbed by our bodies. Because half of the pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, the Spina Bifida Association asks women to take a vitamin with 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of folic acid each day during the years of their lives when they are possibly able to have children.
Having a child with spina bifida is challenging but with help, these children lead full lives. Most do well in school, and many play in sports and other fun activities. Because of today’s medicine, about 90 percent of babies born with spina bifida now live to be adults. They are truly a blessing because they teach us so much about determination, hard work, and about what’s important in life. Resources: Spina Bifida Association of America, sbaa.org. Pam Rasmussen lives in LaFayette. She is the mother of a son with Spina Bifida and is an advocate for adults and children with special needs. She can be reached at jraz1230@windstream.net.