Spina Bifida

Spina Bifida is categorizes under a physical disabilities. Spinas Bifia is a birth defect. Spina Bifida means “cleft spine” It is how the spine and spinal cord develops.  It is a an incomplete development of the spine and the brain.Its a disability that mothers wont know about because it can develop before the fetus is even there yet. Know one knows the exact reason why Spina Bifida is caused In the image one the left the baby has one of the three types of Spina Bifida.

The affects of having Spina Bifida can range from minor physical problems with little functional impairment to severe physical and mental disabilities.

Some quick facts of Spina Bifida is

• Spina bifida occurs in about 7 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States. 4 Most of these (95%) have the myelomeningocele form of the birth defect.

There are three types of Spina Bifda which shown below in the piture.

The first type of Spina Bifida is Spina Bifida Occulta which is  the mildest form of spina bifida, there’s a small defect or gap in one or more of the vertebrae (bones) of the spinal column. The defect may not be visible at birth and causes no harm. In fact, it’s estimated at 15% of healthy people have spina bifida occulta and don’t even know it. An X-ray of their back at some point later in life may reveal the condition.

The second type of Spina Bifida is Meningocele In this form of spina bifida, the protective covering around the spinal cord (called the meninges) has pushed out through the opening in the vertebrae as a sac called the “meningocele.” But the spinal cord is not in this sack, so there’s little or no damage to the nerve pathways.

Then the third type is Myelomeningocele, this is the most severe form of spina bifida, where a portion of the spinal cord itself protrudes through the back. In some cases, sacs are covered with skin. In others, tissue and nerves are exposed. This needs to be corrected surgically within 24 to 48 hours after birth, but some degree of nerve damage has already occurred and more severe disabilities can result. These may include problems with bladder and bowel control and partial or total paralysis of the parts of the body below where the spinal opening was. It’s not unusual to hear the terms “spina bifida” and “myelomeningocele” used interchangeably.

Someone that i talked a little bit before in my early post is Tatyana McFadden she has Spina Bifida and is a Paralympic Athlete. Spina Bifida has not stopped her from being the best she can be. Tatyana has one many medals in the paralmypic summer games and just recently won her first winter Paraylmpic medal for Nordic skiing. In the summer Paraylmics in Beijing, came home with four medals, in the track and field event winning silver in the 200m, 400m and 800m and a bronze in the 4x100m relay.

You can learn more about Tatyana McFadden on her page at http://www.tatyanamcfadden.com/home.html

Quick Facts of Tatyana McFadden

Born 21/04/89 in Russia

• Moved to America in 1994 after being adopted from a Russian orphanage
• Was the youngest member of the US track and field team at the Athens Paralympics in 2004, winning two silver medals
• Won three golds at London 2012 in T54 400, 800 and 1500m
• Her sister Hannah raced against her in the T54 100m final at the London Paralympic

Some Resources for Spina Bifida

Spina Bifida Association of America
1.800.621.3141
sbaa@sbaa.org | www.spinabifidaassociation.org
Information in English and Spanish.

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1.914.997.4488
http://www.marchofdimes.com
Information in English and Spanish.

Easter Seals—National Office
1.800.221.6827
http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer
Information in English and Spanish.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke | National Institutes of Health
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/spina_bifida/detail_spina_bifida.htm

Information in English and Spanish.

http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/spinabifida

Physical Disabilities

The next two week I am going to focus on different kinds of physical disabilities . The disabilities I am going to focus on are Cerebral Pasly , Muscular dystrophy, Spina Bifida, acquired spinal injury (paraplegia or quadriplegia), arthritis,and multiple-sclerosis. Some one you might know with a physical disabilities is

Tatyana McFadden a U.S ParaOlympian who was born with one of these physical disabilities. which you will learn more about later one in the week. Another person you might know is the long brother Conner and Cayden. There the brother team that competes in  triathlons and are another good inspiration for people with family members with disabilities. Cayden the younger brother who is on the left was born with one of these physical disabilities list above also. Which you will also be hearing about too.

Definition of a Disability

the Definition of a Disability is a physical or mental condition that limits a persons movements, senses, or activities. But that does not mean there unable to do something in means they may have a more difficult time then others and may do something in a different way then someone without a disability does.

About Me

Hi, I am Katie

I am from Minnesota, I have a passion for sports and treating people equal and helping others find there strengths and helping people overcoming difficulties, with the being said .My focus one this blog  will really be about who has overcome this disability and how they have overcome the disability. It will also really explain the disability in an easier to understand way and not make it seem so bad. With that being said I really want to get out of this project is the understand of using a weblog and learn more about different disabilities that are out there. What I want other people to get out of this is that people with disabilities should not be underestimated and are equal of even better then people without a disabilities. I also what people to get out of this is that what ever struggle life throws at you, you can overcome that obstacle and help other who are still going through the same or a similarity obstacle you have gone through.