If prenatal testing detects spina bifida or your child shows symptoms after birth, UW Health specialists provide expert care and treatment. We work with children, teenagers and families living with spina bifida.
We are a Spina Bifida Association Clinic Care Partner. Our clinic meets the highest care standards, providing the best possible care for your child. Your child’s care team includes doctors and nurses from specialties such as neurosurgery, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, speech therapy and urology. We focus on improving the lives of people from infancy through adulthood with spina bifida.
In cases of spina bifida, as your baby develops in the womb, the spine does not close. The spinal cord is exposed through their back. This opening allows the spinal cord and nerves to push outside the body. Low levels of folic acid in the mother can cause spina bifida in a baby.
Spina bifida occulta
There is no opening in your child’s back, so it is a “hidden” form of spina bifida. Neurological problems can appear as your child ages. Lipomyelomeningocele is a form of spina bifida occulta related to a fatty mass in the spinal canal that extends out through an opening in the vertebrae.
Spina bifida meningocele
Your child’s spine creates an opening in their back. A sac forms on the outside of their body, filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Spina bifida myelomeningocele
The spinal cord and nerves push through an opening in the spine and stick out through your child’s back. This is the most severe form of spina bifida.
We use a blood test to check for spina bifida. As a standard procedure, we perform the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test between the 16th and 18th weeks of pregnancy. High levels of AFP can indicate spina bifida. Other diagnostic tests include:
Amniocentesis
Imaging tests such as CT or MRI
Ultrasound
Spina bifida symptoms
Spina bifida symptoms vary. They can be mild or severe. Symptoms depend on the type of spina bifida and the location of the spine opening. Symptoms can include:
Decreased bladder and bowel control
Hydrocephalus (accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain)
Muscle and bone abnormalities
Nerve damage
Paralysis
How we treat your child’s spina bifida depends on two things: the type of spina bifida and the severity of your child’s symptoms. Surgery to repair the spine and close any opening is often the first treatment. This procedure prevents damage to the nerves and spinal cord.
Other treatments may include:
Occupational therapy
Orthotics
Physical therapy
Psychological services
Rehabilitation therapy
Speech therapy
Surgery to repair neurologic, orthopedic or urological conditions
Vocational educational counseling
From pediatric to adult care
Doctors at UW Health Kids work together to help children with spina bifida transition from pediatric to adult care. This allows for a smooth transition between pediatric and adult providers so patients feel more comfortable with their care.
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Patient resourceSpina bifida care from infancy to adulthood
Everything you need to know about how the experts at UW Health care for your growing child.