Spina Bifida
The most common permanently disabling birth defect that affects about one out of every 1,000 newborns in the United States. Spina bifida, the most common NEURAL TUBE DEFECT, is one of the most devastating of all birth defects.
Cause
Spina bifida occurs when the spine does not close properly during the first month of pregnancy. In severe cases, the spinal cord protrudes through the child’s back and may be covered by skin or a thin membrane. Surgery to close a newborn’s back is generally performed within 24 hours after birth to minimize the risk of infection and to preserve existing function in the spinal cord.
Many things can affect a pregnancy, including family genes and things women may come in contact with during pregnancy. However, recent studies have shown that folic acid is one factor that may reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.
Symptoms
Because of paralysis resulting from the damage to the spinal cord, children born with spina bifida may need surgery and other extensive medical care. The condition also can cause bowel and bladder complications.
In addition, many children born with spina bifida also have an accumulation of fluid in the brain (HYDROCEPHALUS), which can be controlled by a surgical procedure called “shunting” to relieve the fluid by redirecting it into the abdominal area. Most children born with spina bifida live well into adulthood as a result of today’s sophisticated medical techniques.
Some children with spina bifida also experience learning problems. They may have difficulty with paying attention, expressing or understanding language, organizing, sequencing, and grasping reading and math.
Other conditions associated with spina bifida include LATEX ALLERGY, tendonitis, OBESITY, skin breakdown, stomach problems, DEPRESSION, and social and sexual issues.
Treatment
Children with spina bifida need to learn how to walk with crutches, braces, or wheelchairs. With new techniques, children also can become independent in managing their bowel and bladder problems. To promote personal growth, parents should encourage children (within the limits of safety and health) to be independent, to participate in activities with their nondisabled peers, and to assume responsibility for their own care.
Early intervention can help to prepare children with spina bifida and learning disabilities for school, with normal day-to-day activities. It often helps to have a psychological evaluation, which tests the child’s intelligence, academic levels, and basic learning abilities (visual perception, receptive and expressive language skills).
Prevention
While taking folic acid cannot guarantee a healthy baby, it can help. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. All women should take a daily vitamin including 400 micrograms (mcg)—the same as 0.4 milligrams (mg)—of folic acid every day.
A woman thinking about getting pregnant, who already has a child with spina bifida, who has spina bifida herself, or who has had a history of pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, needs a higher dose of folic acid. These women should take 4,000 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid by prescription for one to three months before becoming pregnant. Taking this amount of folic acid by prescription may reduce the chance of a neural tube defect like spina bifida in future pregnancies.
However, any woman taking this extra folic acid should not get this amount by taking more multivitamins, because too much of some of the other vitamins could harm either mother or child. A doctor should prescribe the extra folic acid supplement.
Before the next pregnancy, a woman with any of the above risk factors should speak with her health care provider about her personal risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. She may need to get a prescription for folic acid before trying to become pregnant.
Folic acid is a common water-soluble B vitamin that is essential for the functioning of the human body. During periods of rapid growth (such as pregnancy and fetal development) the body’s requirement for this vitamin increases. Folic acid can be found in multivitamins, fortified breakfast cereals, dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, egg yolks, and some fruits and fruit juices. However, the average American diet does not supply the recommended level of folic acid.
Cause
Spina bifida occurs when the spine does not close properly during the first month of pregnancy. In severe cases, the spinal cord protrudes through the child’s back and may be covered by skin or a thin membrane. Surgery to close a newborn’s back is generally performed within 24 hours after birth to minimize the risk of infection and to preserve existing function in the spinal cord.
Many things can affect a pregnancy, including family genes and things women may come in contact with during pregnancy. However, recent studies have shown that folic acid is one factor that may reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.
Symptoms
Because of paralysis resulting from the damage to the spinal cord, children born with spina bifida may need surgery and other extensive medical care. The condition also can cause bowel and bladder complications.
In addition, many children born with spina bifida also have an accumulation of fluid in the brain (HYDROCEPHALUS), which can be controlled by a surgical procedure called “shunting” to relieve the fluid by redirecting it into the abdominal area. Most children born with spina bifida live well into adulthood as a result of today’s sophisticated medical techniques.
Some children with spina bifida also experience learning problems. They may have difficulty with paying attention, expressing or understanding language, organizing, sequencing, and grasping reading and math.
Other conditions associated with spina bifida include LATEX ALLERGY, tendonitis, OBESITY, skin breakdown, stomach problems, DEPRESSION, and social and sexual issues.
Treatment
Children with spina bifida need to learn how to walk with crutches, braces, or wheelchairs. With new techniques, children also can become independent in managing their bowel and bladder problems. To promote personal growth, parents should encourage children (within the limits of safety and health) to be independent, to participate in activities with their nondisabled peers, and to assume responsibility for their own care.
Early intervention can help to prepare children with spina bifida and learning disabilities for school, with normal day-to-day activities. It often helps to have a psychological evaluation, which tests the child’s intelligence, academic levels, and basic learning abilities (visual perception, receptive and expressive language skills).
Prevention
While taking folic acid cannot guarantee a healthy baby, it can help. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. All women should take a daily vitamin including 400 micrograms (mcg)—the same as 0.4 milligrams (mg)—of folic acid every day.
A woman thinking about getting pregnant, who already has a child with spina bifida, who has spina bifida herself, or who has had a history of pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, needs a higher dose of folic acid. These women should take 4,000 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid by prescription for one to three months before becoming pregnant. Taking this amount of folic acid by prescription may reduce the chance of a neural tube defect like spina bifida in future pregnancies.
However, any woman taking this extra folic acid should not get this amount by taking more multivitamins, because too much of some of the other vitamins could harm either mother or child. A doctor should prescribe the extra folic acid supplement.
Before the next pregnancy, a woman with any of the above risk factors should speak with her health care provider about her personal risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. She may need to get a prescription for folic acid before trying to become pregnant.
Folic acid is a common water-soluble B vitamin that is essential for the functioning of the human body. During periods of rapid growth (such as pregnancy and fetal development) the body’s requirement for this vitamin increases. Folic acid can be found in multivitamins, fortified breakfast cereals, dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, egg yolks, and some fruits and fruit juices. However, the average American diet does not supply the recommended level of folic acid.
Comments (1)
This should be a matter of great importance to parents, small children, because obvious symptoms, parents are often overlooked, but children grow up is more difficult to correct.
Anne’s last blog post..In muscle stem cells, age matters, study finds