Spina bifida
is a type of medical condition in which the spinal cord, brain or meninges are underdeveloped in a child at birth. Meninges is the protective covering around the spinal cord and brain. There are three types of spina bifida: meningocele, myelomeningocele and occulta. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the mildest form of spina bifida is spina bifida occulta.
Definition
Spina bifida occulta is a condition in which a baby is born with at least one malformed vertebra. The difference between spina bifida occulta and other types of spina bifida is that in spina bifida occulta the spinal cord and nerves have developed normally and are covered by a layer of skin.
Causes
Although spina bifida occulta is the most common type of spina bifida, the exact causes of spina bifida occulta are unknown by doctors and physicians. Research scientists suspect that this disorder is caused by a genetic disorder or problems in an individual's DNA. It's also possible that environmental and nutritional factors play a role in the development of this condition.
Risk
There are risks factors that are associated with spina bifida occulta, and the biggest cause for concern is a family history of spina bifida. Other risk factors of spina bifida occulta include advanced paternal or maternal age or a folic acid deficiency in the mother during or before the first month of pregnancy.
Symptoms
Because the nerves and spinal cord are normal and there is not an opening in the back, people who have spina bifida occulta have no outward symptoms of the disease. However, there are signs that this condition can be present in the body. Possible symptoms of spina bifida occulta include a clump of hair, abnormal tuft, birthmark or a small dimple on the skin where the spinal malformation is located. Often, there will be no sensory or motor impairment problems at birth, but some neurological deterioration can progress in later childhood or adulthood.
Diagnosing
Since spinal bifida occulta is harmless, it's possible for some that this disorder will never be diagnosed, because there are not any problems that are associated with this disorder. For others, it can usually be diagnosed by a spinal X ray. Alternative ways to diagnose spina bifida occulta are to notice defects on the back, and an MRI can specify the amount of damage to the nerve tissues and spinal cord. Spina bifida occulta can affect any part of the spine, but can generally be found in the lower part of the back.
Treatment
Because spina bifida occulta is considered a harmless form of spina bifida, most of the time anyone diagnosed with this disorder does not need to seek any treatment. If any abnormalities do develop with spina bifida occulta, then surgery can be recommended to restore the normality of the anatomy by preserving the nerves and closing the defect.
Tags: spina bifida, spina bifida occulta, bifida occulta, bifida occulta, spinal cord, this disorder
