What is Spina Bifida?

This question has been brought up to me a lot recently. It all started on the golf course when myself along with a couple volunteers were talking about how there is not a lot of education about Spina Bifida (SB). Our conversation turned into learning about SB, to talking about how little most people know about it. To be completely honest, SB is one of the most common birth defects, occurring in about 1 in ever 1000 births! According the the March of Dimes, its one of the most common defects along with congenital heart defects, clef palate and downs syndrome. Knowing that information, why do we rarely hear so much about it? 

I was only 10 and a half years old when Alex was born, so of course I wasn't really going to know too much about ANY birth defect, but as I got older I noticed that most people didn't know what SB was. There was a lot of information out there about Autism, Down Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis and Cerebral Palsy. Where is the information about SB?

So, what is Spina Bifida? The words spina bifida actually mean "cleft spine." It is caused by the incomplete development of the brain, spine and meninges. It is classified as a neural tube defect that happens in the first month of pregnancy when the spine does not close all the way, thus creating an opening or lesion on the spinal column. SB is considered the most common type of neural tube defect and it currently affects about 166,000 Americans. There are four different types of SB and several complications associated with it. Some of the complications associated with SB include mobility impairments, bowel/bladder complications, latex allergy, obesity, skin breakdown, gastrointestinal disorders, learning disabilities, social issues and depression. 


If you need any further information about SB, we highly encourage you to check out the Spina Bifida Association's website, www.sbaa.org. Their website is full of really important information about SB, how you can help prevent it and resources for you if your child is diagnosed with SB.