The most common location for Spina Bifida to appear at is the lower back. In certain cases, it can appear on the middle of the back or on the neck. The three types of Spina Bifida are Occulta, Meningocele, and Myelomeningocele.
Spina Bifida Occulta, which is Latin for Hidden, can have only mild signs or no signs at all. The signs of Occulta can include dimple, swelling on the back, hairy patch, and dark spots on the back of the gap in the spine. For the Occulta, the outer part of the vertebrae isn’t all the way closed. …show more content…
It can also form in the base of the skull. These can be treated surgically. Spina Bifida Myelomeningocele is the worst or the most severe one ever. It can make it very hard for you to walk and you can have problems with your bladder.
Your baby can have Spina Bifida due to the combination of environmental and genetic factors. If one of the parents have Spina Bifida or if one child already has this condition, there can be up to a 4% chance that your second child can get affected. Other risks can cause or include obesity, poorly controlled diabetes, and medication for anti-seizure. These affects can happen before or after the child is born.
Before birth, if a blood test finds high level AFP, there will be a very higher risk. Having ultrasounds can also be a problem. Spina Bifida can be prevented if the mother gets enough vitamins while being pregnant. You can have surgery if you have an open Spina Bifida before or after birth. Crutches or Wheelchairs can be useful devices to help you move