Child in the family has mild spina bifida - falls a lot. But she is going on 4 years old and we are

[jwirr]

having trouble potty training her. I just read that this is a common symptom of spina bifida. Can anyone tell me about how you diagnose it and what is done about it if it is that?

[Warpy]

1. Everything you ever wanted to know about spina bifida is here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spina_bifida

It's a fairly scary article but parents of spina bifida kids need to know what they might expect so that they can deal with it early enough that it is less of a problem as the kid grows up.

A fellow RN at my last job had spina bifida, so the mildest forms need not impede a child through life. However, damage at lumbar and/or sacral nerve roots means the kid will be a late walker and that potty training will be very problematic. Some kids have benefited from surgery to replace bowel and bladder openings with pump operated devices, but such surgery has to wait until the child is older.

Until then, it's incontinence briefs, I'm afraid. She's not resisting potty training at this point. She simply might not be capable of it no matter how much she wants to be.

The support group is http://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/site/c.evKRI7OXIoJ8H/b.8028963/k.BE67/Home.htm

[jwirr]

2. Thank you from both me and her. She is doing very good on the fundamentals but lack of bladder

control makes it harder and she suffers for it. I don't think the doctor who examined her bothered to tell the parents anything other than that it was mild.