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To understand the extent of the defect x rays, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine may be taken.
Dorothy Deckow
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIf you have the most severe form of Spina Bifida, meningomyelocele, there will be a hole in the back, sometimes with bone or just the meninges sticking out of the back at birth. It's pretty hard to miss. If you have the less severe form, Spina Bifida Occulta, doctors often don't know you have it unless you have a patch of hair over the area or a dimple there, or if you have an x-ray or other test that reveals it. In closed neural tube defects, there may be a "lump" on the back which contains bone, tissue, and/or fat deposits, which is also visible to the naked eye. Sometimes there will be a tuft of hair, a dimple, a birthmark, lump, or skin opening. With meningocele, there is a sac or bulge on the back containing meninges, which may or may not be covered by skin.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoSome of the tests that can be used to help detect spina bifida are:
Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) - it is elevated in neural tube defects and some other conditions.
Sonogram - Can detect it, but the skill of the operator is a major determinant in its accuracy.
Amniocentesis - can detect genetic disorders
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoIn most cases, spina bifida is diagnosed prenatally, or before birth. However, some mild cases may go unnoticed until after birth (postnatal). Very mild forms (spinal bifida occulta), in which there are no symptoms, may never be detected.
Severe forms of Spina Bifida are diagnosed prenatally using maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening and fetal ultrasound.
Mild cases of spina bifida (occulta, closed) that aren't diagnosed prenatally can be diagnosed with an X-ray.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoit is detected by having an amniocentesis done
I have a child who has spina bifida
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThere are several prenatal tests for spina bifida including an AFP test in the 16th to 18th week and by using ultrasound.
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What drugs are used for Spina Bifida?
In my life with Spina Bifida, I have had to use antibiotics for urinary tract infections, and I have used a medication to stop bladder spasms. Every case of Spina Bifida is unique in some ways, and not all people with Spina Bifida will need the same medications. Some may need pain medications. Some may not.
How do you meet other people with Spina Bifida?
There are Spina Bifida support groups online, see the Related links below for some.
What are some names of support groups for Spina Bifida?
In my opinion, the best support you can get if you or a family member was born with Spina Bifida is from closed groups on Facebook, just search "Spina Bifida" and you will find them. I am an adult that was born with Spina Bifida and the best support I've found is in closed Facebook groups (they are called closed because they are private groups and what you ask or say does not show up on your friends' timelines).
Can an adult get spina bifida?
They can, but they don't always. Generally they may have hydrocephalus (water on the brain), which can cause brain damage if not treated in a timely manner. But if it is treated soon enough, there may be little to no brain damage. Some people with Spina Bifida have learning disabilities.
What's Spina bifida?
Spina bifida means that one has a split spine. It is a developmental congenital disorder where some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open.
Can you learn how to walk if you have Spina Bifida?
Yes. I have spina bifida and I'm twenty years old and I've been able to walk completely normal my entire life with no crutches or braces of any kind and have never had any complications. Not all people with Spina Bifida can walk. It depends on the severity of the condition in the individual. But with advances in medicine, children with Spina Bifida can now receive early intervention and many are able to walk, at least with crutches or a walker, if not unaided.
What are some of the assisting devices for Spina Bifida?
Crutches, leg braces, wheelchairs, walkers.
Has spina bifida ever killed kids at birth?
Yes, some are very seriously injured.
Can Spina Bifida cause asperger syndrome traits?
Some children with Spina Bifida may also have other conditions, such as Asperger's Syndrome. There are some traits of Asperger's that are also seen in children who have Attention Deficit Disorder, and Attention Deficit Disorder is fairly common in children who have Spina Bifida. The child needs to be seen by a professional so the proper diagnosis can be made and the child can get the help he or she needs.
How is Spina Bifida passed on?
Spina bifida doesn't follow a strict inheritance pattern, but hereditary factors do play some role, though it is not completely understood yet. Mothers who have had one child with spina bifida have a 3-4% chance of their next child having spina bifida, while the general population only has a 0.1-0.2% chance. In the case a pregnant woman has a family history of spina bifida, it is recommended that they take a higher dose of folic acid than other pregnant women. Here again, folic acid plays a role in preventing neural tube defects (like spina bifida), but the mechanism is not well understood. Also, for an unknown reason, it is more prevalent in female children than in male children.
Is spina bifida dominat or ressisve?
Spina bifida doesn't follow a strict inheritance pattern, but hereditary factors do play some role, though it is not completely understood yet. Mothers who have had one child with spina bifida have a 3-4% chance of their next child having spina bifida, while the general population only has a 0.1-0.2% chance. In the case a pregnant woman has a family history of spina bifida, it is recommended that they take a higher dose of folic acid than other pregnant women. Here again, folic acid plays a role in preventing neural tube defects (like spina bifida), but the mechanism is not well understood. Also, for an unknown reason, it is more prevalent in female children than in male children.
What is the method of inheritance for Spina Bifida?
Spina bifida doesn't follow a strict inheritance pattern, but hereditary factors do play some role, though it is not completely understood yet. Mothers who have had one child with spina bifida have a 3-4% chance of their next child having spina bifida, while the general population only has a 0.1-0.2% chance. In the case a pregnant woman has a family history of spina bifida, it is recommended that they take a higher dose of folic acid than other pregnant women. Here again, folic acid plays a role in preventing neural tube defects (like spina bifida), but the mechanism is not well understood. Also, for an unknown reason, it is more prevalent in female children than in male children.
