Effects of Spina Bifida Physical Effects  The level of paralysis experienced by a person with SB depends on where the spina bifida defect is located and on how much damage has been done to the spinal cord and nerves.  75% of children born with spina bifida have a defect in the lower part of the spinal column.  25% of children have defects in spine above the waist.     The lower spine controls the hip, leg, knee, foot, bowel and bladder muscles.  It also controls sexual functioning (such as the male erection).  So, an SB defect in the lower spine can have a big impact on a person’s mobility and everyday life.  Some people with spina bifida are able to walk without assistance.  There are many others who walk with assistive devices such as braces, walkers or crutches.   Approximately 30%  of people with SB are wheelchair bound.  Often, severe spina bifida shortens the lifespan.  A study done in 1990 found that 41% of children with SB died before their 16th birthday.  Many children used to die from brain infections or kidney failure.  Now, because of medical advances, at least 85% of people with SB are expected to live into adulthood. Learning & Social Effects  Spina bifida can affect a child’s emotional and social development.  It’s important that teachers, parents and health care providers such as yourself understand each child’s abilities and limitations.  Some people with spina bifida have learning problems.   However, most have either normal or above normal levels of intelligence.   (If people with SB have mental retardation, it’s probably because they had some brain damage due to hydrocephalus.)  Many people with spina bifida understand what they hear better than what they see.  For example, they would learn more from someone reading to them than from reading a book themselves.  Also, they may have trouble with paying attention and/or staying organized.  Because they learn by hearing, it’s common for people with SB to talk too much and to interrupt others when they speak.  They may not understand that they are being “rude” or inappropriate.  Some people with spina bifida may have problems feeling accepted at school or work because of their disability.   Their self-esteem and self- confidence may be low and they may not feel comfortable with their peers.  Because some children with spina bifida need lots of help with their personal care and daily living, they may become especially dependent on others.  This can make it difficult for them to live independently when they grow up. Page Six © 2000 In the Know, Inc. A True Story:  A mother gave birth to a baby girl with myelomeningocele—the worst kind of spina bifida.  The doctor told the mother that her little girl would surely die within a few days or, if she lived, she would be a “vegetable”.  Her mother refused to give up, and searched for another doctor who would agree to do surgery to remove the cyst.  The little girl learned to walk with braces on her legs.  She finished high school, got married and had four children.  Today, she is fifty years old!  While she is now in a wheelchair, she has lived a happy productive life—a far cry from her first doctor’s prediction.