Treatment

Spina bifida

In some cases of spina bifida, depending on the severity, the nerve may be damaged. There is no cure for nerve damage due to spina bifida. 

However, to prevent further damage due to infections for example, pediatric neurosurgeons may close any gap in the vertebrae, and seal the spinal cord with muscle and skin. This procedure normally takes place 48 hours after their birth. There have been recent caseswhere surgery is taken place when the baby is unborn and in the womb (pre-natal surgery). There has, however, been no evidence to show which clinical procedure is more effective. 

If the child has hydrocephalus, the surgeon would install a 'shunt' during surgery. This provides a continous drain for the cerebrospinal fluid produced in the brain, to another part of the body, usually the abdomen. 

Physical and occupational therapy may be needed to help provide independence and posture improvements. In physical therapy, the main aim is to prevent muscle weakness by strengthening their leg muscles with the use of special leg braces for example. Occupational therapy involves advice on how to carry out day-to-day tasks that require a level of physical dexterity, such as going to the toilet.   

Clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC) and artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) are two main types of techniques used to increase the self-esteem and confidence of children with incontinence problems. CIC is a method that involves the regular emptying of the bladder. A flexible lubricated tube, known as a catheter, is inserted into a child's bladder and their urine would flow out of bladder through this catheter and into the toilet. AUS, on the other hand, is a surgically implanted device used also to treat urinary incontinence. The AUS consists of a silicone cuff that is surrounded by fluid and a pump. The cuff is attached to the sphincter and the pump is placed under the skin of the scrotum (the sac containing the testicles) in males, or the labia (the lips of the vulva) in females. The fluid in the cuff contracts the sphincter, keeping the urine in place. When the child needs a toilet, they press the pump, which temporally empties the fluid from the cuff, releasing the pressure on the cuff. This opens the sphincter, allowing the urine to be released into a toilet.  After a few minutes the fluid will return to the cuff, closing the sphincter.

If the child does not respond to treatment, they may have to undergo further surgery, such as antegrade continence enema (ACE). This is a surgical procedure that is made for easier and more convenient enemas.

Anencephaly

There is no cure or standard medical treatment for anencephaly, and all treatment is for supportive measures only.

Experiencing the loss of a child can be very traumatic. Grief counselling services are available to help parents cope with the loss of their child.