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AUtism
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Downsyndrome
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Spinabifada
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Cerebral palsy
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (adhd/ADD)
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Epilepsy
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Oppositional Defiance Disorder
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Obsessive compulsive disorder
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Hearing Impairments
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Viual Impairments
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Fetal~Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Tourette's Syndrome
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Welcome to All Kids Have Special Needs.org!
Spina Bifida Page
Spina bifida (pronounced SPI-nuh BIFF-ih-duh) means an open or severed spine and it is one of the most serious of all birth defects. The condition may affect a small region of the spine or a much larger area. In case of spina bifida, portions of the spinal column are pushed outward, making them vulnerable to injury or infection.
Quick Facts
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The exact cause of spina bifida is still unknown. Something goes wrong in the first two months after conception but experts don't really know why. It's been shown again and again that women who have low levels of folic acid (a B vitamin) are more likely to give birth to children with neural tube defects. The assumption is that when the fetus's genes give the order to construct the spine, the necessary chemical building blocks are missing.
- There are three types of spina bifida, which vary according to the severity of the malformation:
- myelomeningocele: the most severe form; both the spinal cord and its lining (the meninges) protrude from an opening in the spine
- meningocele: only the lining protrudes
- spina bifida occulta: the mildest form, there is a breach in the spinal vertebrae but it's covered by skin
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Most people with spina bifida also have malformations high in the spinal cord or brain that lead to a dangerous build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles inside the brain. This is called hydrocephalus. About 75% of people with spina bifida develop this condition at some point. In an infant, it can cause the skull to grow out of proportion to the body. This condition can be treated.
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Women can reduce their chances of a spina bifida pregnancy by about half by taking an adequate dietary supply (0.4 mg a day) of folic acid. It's useless for women to wait until they're pregnant and then start on folic acid, because spina bifida occurs so early in pregnancy that it's already happened by the time a home pregnancy test reads positive. Folic acid needs to be in a woman's system at the time of conception. Therefore, women who want to become pregnant should be taking 0.4 mg per day all the time.
The exact cause of spina bifida is still unknown. Something goes wrong in the first two months after conception but experts don't really know why. It's been shown again and again that women who have low levels of folic acid (a B vitamin) are more likely to give birth to children with neural tube defects. The assumption is that when the fetus's genes give the order to construct the spine, the necessary chemical building blocks are missing.
- myelomeningocele: the most severe form; both the spinal cord and its lining (the meninges) protrude from an opening in the spine
- meningocele: only the lining protrudes
- spina bifida occulta: the mildest form, there is a breach in the spinal vertebrae but it's covered by skin
Most people with spina bifida also have malformations high in the spinal cord or brain that lead to a dangerous build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles inside the brain. This is called hydrocephalus. About 75% of people with spina bifida develop this condition at some point. In an infant, it can cause the skull to grow out of proportion to the body. This condition can be treated.
Women can reduce their chances of a spina bifida pregnancy by about half by taking an adequate dietary supply (0.4 mg a day) of folic acid. It's useless for women to wait until they're pregnant and then start on folic acid, because spina bifida occurs so early in pregnancy that it's already happened by the time a home pregnancy test reads positive. Folic acid needs to be in a woman's system at the time of conception. Therefore, women who want to become pregnant should be taking 0.4 mg per day all the time.
Spina Bifida Association (USA)
Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Canada
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