Once the spinal cord has developed to that point, bones and muscles can form around it. Should this fail to take place, a child will be born with spina bifida. The three general types of spina bifida are shown below. The nerve elements are usually involved, so these children often have problems with urine and bowel control, as well as muscle strength in the lower limbs. Electrical messages from nerves to bladder, bowel, and leg muscles are interrupted.
Surgical treatment is aimed at preventing the condition from worsening.
As the child grows, there will be pain, more weakness, and lack of bladder and bowel control. These meninges are pushed out into a section of open backbone. If there are no nerves in the sac, there may be no paralysis. The structures do not develop properly, resulting in spinal fluid leakage plus complete or partial paralysis of legs, bladder, and bowels. It is not possible to repair one of these defects.