A Baby With Spina Bifida Occulta Will Have

Spina bifida is a condition that affects the spine and is usually credible at nascency. Information technology is a type of neural tube defect (NTD).

Spina bifida can happen anywhere along the spine if the neural tube does not close all the way. When the neural tube doesn't close all the way, the backbone that protects the spinal cord doesn't course and close every bit it should. This often results in damage to the spinal string and fretfulness.

Spina bifida might cause physical and intellectual disabilities that range from mild to severe. The severity depends on:

• The size and location of the opening in the spine.
• Whether office of the spinal cord and nerves are affected.

Types of Spina Bifida

The iii most common types of spina bifida are:

Myelomeningocele (sounds like: my-low-ma-nin-jo-seal; hear how "myelomeningocele" soundsexternal icon)
When people talk nigh spina bifida, most often they are referring to myelomeningocele. Myelomeningocele is the most serious type of spina bifida. With this condition, a sac of fluid comes through an opening in the baby's back. Part of the spinal cord and fretfulness are in this sac and are damaged. This type of spina bifida causes moderate to severe disabilities, such as bug affecting how the person goes to the bathroom, loss of feeling in the person's legs or anxiety, and non being able to move the legs.

Meningocele (sounds similar: ma-nin-jo-seal; hear how "meningocele" soundsexternal icon)
Another type of spina bifida is meningocele. With meningocele a sac of fluid comes through an opening in the baby'southward back. But, the spinal cord is non in this sac. There is usually niggling or no nervus damage. This blazon of spina bifida can cause minor disabilities.

Spina Bifida Occulta (sounds like: o-cult-tuh; hear how "occulta" soundsexternal icon)
Spina bifida occulta is the mildest type of spina bifida. It is sometimes called "hidden" spina bifida. With it, at that place is a pocket-size gap in the spine, only no opening or sac on the dorsum. The spinal string and the nerves normally are normal. Many times, spina bifida occulta is not discovered until tardily childhood or machismo. This type of spina bifida usually does not crusade whatsoever disabilities.

Diagnosis

Spina bifida can be diagnosed during pregnancy or after the babe is born. Spina bifida occulta might not be diagnosed until late childhood or adulthood, or might never be diagnosed.

During Pregnancy

During pregnancy there are screening tests (prenatal tests) to bank check for spina bifida and other nascency defects. Talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns you have near this prenatal testing.

• AFP – AFP stands for alpha-fetoprotein (sounds like: al-fa–fee-toe-pro-teen), a protein the unborn baby produces. This is a simple blood test that measures how much AFP has passed into the female parent'southward bloodstream from the infant. A high level of AFP might mean that the baby has spina bifida. An AFP test might exist part of a exam called the "triple screen" that looks for neural tube defects and other issues.
• Ultrasound – An ultrasound is a type of moving picture of the baby. In some cases, the doctor can see if the baby has spina bifida or find other reasons that in that location might be a high level of AFP. Oftentimes, spina bifida can exist seen with this test.
• Amniocentesis (sounds like: am-articulatio genus-oh-sin-te-sus; hear how "amniocentesis" soundsexternal icon) – For this examination, the medico takes a small sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the womb. Higher than average levels of AFP in the fluid might mean that the babe has spina bifida.

Later the Infant Is Built-in

In some cases, spina bifida might not be diagnosed until later on the baby is built-in.

Sometimes at that place is a hairy patch of skin or a dimple on the babe'due south back that is kickoff seen after the baby is built-in. A doctor can utilise an epitome browse, such as an, 10-ray, MRI, or CT, to get a clearer view of the infant's spine and the bones in the back.

Sometimes spina bifida is not diagnosed until after the baby is built-in because the female parent did not receive prenatal care or an ultrasound did not show articulate pictures of the affected part of the spine.

Treatments

Not all people built-in with spina bifida have the aforementioned needs, so handling will be different for each person. Some people accept bug that are more serious than others. People with myelomeningocele and meningocele will demand more treatments than people with spina bifida occulta.

To learn more most treatments, visit the Treatments page.

Causes and Prevention

We do not know all of the causes of spina bifida. The office that genetics and the environs play in causing spina bifida needs to be studied further.

Notwithstanding, nosotros practise know that there are means for women to reduce the adventure of having a baby with spina bifida both before and during her pregnancy.

If you are pregnant or could go pregnant, use the following tips to aid prevent your baby from having spina bifida:

• Have 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. If you have already had a pregnancy affected by spina bifida, yous may need to have a higher dose of folic acid before pregnancy and during early pregnancy. Talk to your dr. to discuss what's best for you.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist nearly any prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements you are taking. Larn well-nigh medication and pregnancy »
• If you lot have a medical status―such every bit diabetes or obesity―be sure it is under control before you lot go significant.
• Avoid overheating your trunk, every bit might happen if you apply a hot tub or sauna.
• Care for any fever yous have correct abroad with Tylenol® (or store brand acetaminophen).

Remember!

Spina bifida happens in the first few weeks of pregnancy, oft before a woman knows she'due south pregnant. Although folic acid is non a guarantee that a adult female will have a healthy pregnancy, taking folic acid can help reduce a woman's take chances of having a pregnancy affected by spina bifida. Because half of all pregnancies in the United states of america are unplanned, information technology is important that all women who can become significant have 400 mcg of folic acid daily.

Living with Spina Bifida

Spina bifida tin range from mild to astringent. Some people may have little to no disability. Other people may be limited in the way they move or function. Some people may even be paralyzed or unable to walk or move parts of their trunk.

However, with the right care, most people affected by spina bifida atomic number 82 full, productive lives.

Learn most living with spina bifida at different ages »

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Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/spinabifida/facts.html

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