Boniform

In myelomeningocele, the baby's spinal canal remains open along several vertebrae in the lower or middle back. Because of this opening, both the membranes and the spinal cord protrude at birth, forming a sac on the baby's back. In some cases, skin covers the sac. Usually, however, tissues and nerves are exposed, making the baby prone to life-threatening infections.

A newborn may have a sac sticking out of the mid to lower back. The doctor cannot see through the sac when shining a light behind it. Symptoms include:
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Partial or complete lack of sensation
• Partial or complete paralysis of the legs
• Weakness of the hips, legs, or feet of a newborn
The exposed spinal cord is susceptible to infection. Other symptoms may include:
• Hair at the back part of the pelvis called the sacral area
• Dimpling of the sacral area

Complications may include:
• Physical and neurological problems. This may include lack of normal bowel and bladder control and partial or complete paralysis of the legs. Children and adults with this form of spina bifida might need crutches, braces or wheelchairs to help them get around
• Hydrocephalus. Accumulation of fluid in the brain. Most babies will need a shunt —this tube might be placed just after birth, during the surgery to close the sac on the lower back, or later as fluid accumulates.
• Meningitis. Some babies may develop meningitis, causing brain injury and can be life-threatening.
• Tethering spinal cord- By the time a child is born, the spinal cord is normally located opposite the disc between the first and second lumbar vertebrae, in about the upper part of the lower back. In a baby with Spina Bifida, the spinal cord is still attached to the surrounding skin, and is prevented from ascending normally; the spinal cord at birth is therefore tethered. Although the myelomeningocele is separated from the skin and closed at birth, the spinal cord, which has grown in this position, stays in roughly the same location after the closure. As the child continues to grow, the spinal cord can become stretched; this damages the spinal cord both by directly stretching it and by interfering with the blood supply to the spinal cord. The result can be progressive neurological, urological, or orthopedic deterioration.

Other complications
Additional problems may arise as children with spina bifida get older. Children may develop learning disabilities, including difficulty paying attention. Children with spina bifida may also experience latex allergies, skin problems, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal disorders and depression.


Links
1) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/spina-bifida/DS00417/DSECTION=symptoms
2) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001558.htm
3) http://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/site/c.liKWL7PLLrF/b.2700295/k.6B9E/Tethering_Spinal_Cord.htm