Sundaymail Editor
Disability Issues Dr Christine Peta
OC’re working to OBER is spina bifida and hydrocephalus awareness month.
Zimbabwe will thus join the rest of the world in commemorating the World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day later this month.
People with spina bifida experience different kinds of disabilities, including paralysis or weakness in the legs that may result in the use of a wheelchair.
Additional challenges include bowel and bladder incontinence or kidney damage, and hydrocephalus.
Some experience bone problems that include hip dislocation, malformation of joints or clubfoot.
Due to limited mobility, the condition increases the risk of obesity.
Impaired mental development and learning disabilities may also result.
Nonetheless, many children who are born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus have a normal IQ and can attend regular classes.
However, some children may need heightened levels of assistance to enable them to maximise their learning capacity.
What is spina bifida and hydrocephalus?
Spina bifida is the incomplete formation of the spine and spinal cord that usually occurs during the first four weeks of a baby’s development in the womb, especially in scenarios where the neural tube and spine do not develop properly.
In addition to the laceration in the spinal cord, structural deformities in parts of the brain can develop before birth. Research indicates that most babies who are born with spina bifida have hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain
The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain in ways that can damage it.
Hydrocephalus was in the past referred to as “water on the brain”.
However, the brain is not surrounded by water but a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which has three key functions: protecting the brain from damage, removing waste products from the brain and providing the brain with the nutrients it needs to function properly.
The brain constantly produces new CSF, about a pint a day, while old fluid is released from the brain and absorbed into the blood vessels.
However, if this process is interrupted, the amount of CSF can quickly build up to above normal levels, thus increasing pressure on the brain.
Improper drainage of the CSF further compresses the brain, resulting in a number of problems that include blurred vision, difficulties in walking and sickness.
There are various types of hydrocephalus. They include congenital (from birth) hydrocephalus, which can be caused by spina bifida, or an infection such as mumps or German measles that the mother develops during pregnancy.
Research has shown that many children who are born with hydrocephalus also have brain damage.
Furthermore, congenital hydrocephalus is associated with learning, speech, memory, short attention span, visual and physical disabilities, as well as epilepsy.
Acquired hydrocephalus can affect both children and adults, and usually occurs after an injury or illness.
For example, if one suffers a serious head injury or develops a condition such as a brain tumour, one can end up with hydrocephalus.
Also, under acquired hydrocephalus is normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which usually affects people who are above the age of 60 years due to various causes that include a stroke or an injury. However, in some cases, the cause of NPH is unknown.
Main symptoms of NPH are urinary incontinence and dementia, among others.
NPH may be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms occur over time and are more or less similar to those of other common conditions that include Alzheimer’s disease. Nonetheless, it is important to diagnose NPH properly since symptoms can be relieved with medical treatment.
How do I detect hydrocephalus?
Both congenital and acquired hydrocephalus can be diagnosed through brain scans. These include CT and MRI scans.
One of the ways of treating hydrocephalus is through the use of a thin tube (shunt), which is surgically implanted in the brain to drain excess fluid.
However, the surgery used to treat hydrocephalus is not wholly free of complications.
One of the challenges is that the shunt may become blocked or infected.
Treatment of spina bifida is possible.
With the right care, support and respect for the rights of persons with disabilities, many people who are born with the condition or conditions can live full, active, meaningful and independent lives.
We should refrain from making assumptions about what a person can and cannot do.
Instead, we should ask the person if they need help and assist only with those things they request.
Some persons with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus may be wheelchair users. Resultantly, there may be need to modify physical activities to enable or enhance their meaningful inclusion in groups.
If you or your family member is diagnosed with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, make an effort to become part of a group or network of individuals, institutions, companies and organisations that have an interest in the conditions. One of these organisations is Matifadza Hydrocephalus Care Trust.
* Dr Christine Peta is a disability, policy, international development and research expert. She is also the national director of Disability Affairs in Zimbabwe. Feedback: [email protected]
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