Spina Bifida
Research has shown that mothers who have some form of prenatal education, and who are cared for by qualified physicians have significantly lower risk pregnancies. Education is a key factor in preventing possibly severe birth defects such as, "spina bifida." Each day an average of 11 babies are born with neural tubal disorders or NTD's like spina bifida, or anencephaly. "Ninety-five percent of neural tube defects occur in women with no history of neural tube affected pregnancies." NTD's can occur early in pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she is pregnant. "In September, 1992, based on randomized control trials and observational studies, the United States Public Health Service published a recommendation, stating that "all women of childbearing age in the United States should consume 0.4 mg of folic acid daily to reduce the risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect." (The Spina Bifida Association of America 1). "Each year, 300,000 to 400,000 infants worldwide are born with spina bifida and anencephaly," (Oakley S116). If new mothers, and even young women in general, were more educated about how their diet, and actions effect their babies, the number of cases of NTD's would be greatly diminished.
SBAA and others recommended fortification at 350mcg/100gm, which would add approximately . Low-income women, on average, consume vitamin supplements even less frequently," (Itikala 3074). The IQ is made up of several components which can be thought of as verbal and non-verbal, or performance-related tests. Certainly during periods of rising CSF pressure, such as in untreated cases or when a shunt is blocked, the effect on performance IQ is more marked. In fact this is far more complicated, and a good deal less informative, than many believe. Generally, people use the terms "spina Bifida" and "myelomeningocele" interchangeably. " "Psychological development in children and adolescents with hydrocephalus may proceed normally, but sometimes the changes associated with puberty (breast development, body hair growth etc) appear much earlier than expected, and the intrusion of psychological aspects of sexual development into a mind which is emotionally still very immature can cause distressing problems," (Bayston). With regard to learning in the home or to education in school, there may be real problems with concentration and reasoning which require a sympathetic but skilled approach. Quite often, however, they must have a series of operations throughout their childhood. "Studies have shown that one factor that increases the risk of having a NTD baby is low folic acid status before conception and during the first few weeks of pregnancy (called the periconceptional period). This leaves a gap so that, instead of the posterior arm being whole it is divided - that is bifid. "In older children and adults, the head size cannot increase as the bones which form the skull are completely joined together," (ASBAH). SBAA was very active in the movement to urge the FDA to mandate folic acid fortification, knowing its role in reducing the incidence of spina bifida and neural tube defects. Generally speaking, people who have had hydrocephalus since birth or childhood have, as a group, a lower average IQ than a comparable group without hydrocephalus, but it is important to realize that there is a wide range in each group, and some people with hydrocephalus have very high scores.
Common topics in this essay:
Bayston Hydrocephalus,
Youth Disabilities,
Bifida Occulta,
Drug Administration,
Timing NTD's,
Oakley S116,
,
Bifida Hydrocephalus,
Research Nearly,
Starting January,
spina bifida,
folic acid,
spinal cord,
neural tube,
born spina bifida,
born spina,
tube defects,
bifida anencephaly,
people hydrocephalus,
neural tube defects,
spina bifida anencephaly,
tube affected pregnancies,
ntd's occur pregnancy,
defects occur,
occur women,
|
Acceptance Essays
