Page 14 - Mobility Management, April 2019

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Early Intervention & Spina Bifida
How Seating, Positioning & Power Mobility for Infants Can Prevent Developmental Delays
By Leila McNeill
Children have an inherent desire to explore the world around them as they test their own strengths and learn to navigate their environments. These early experiences are formative to a child’s development, not just physically but cognitively and socially
as well. Every child should have the opportunity to participate in these experiences and develop these physical, cognitive and social skills.
Yet, children with disabilities and limited mobility often do miss out on such experiences because they lack the equipment and interventions that allows them to share in developmental milestones alongside their typically developing peers. Many chil- dren are not introduced to complex rehab technology (CRT) until they enter school, but by then, many opportunities for essential development has passed.
Introducing CRT early in a child’s life can help reduce the risk of developmental delays, increase activity levels and improve physical and cognitive development. Spina bifida, as a congenital condition that is present at birth, is an example of an infant and childhood disability for which early CRT intervention is ideal.
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Spina Bifida 101
Spina bifida is a complex condition that encompasses a spec- trum of neural tube defects. With this condition, the neural tube does not fully close during embryogenesis, often resulting in nerve and spinal cord damage. According to the Spina Bifida Association, three common types of spina bifida include spina bifida occulta, myelomeningocele and meningocele.
Spina bifida occulta, sometimes called hidden spina bifida, is a mild form of spina bifida and causes few to no disabilities.
Myelomeningocele is the most common and most severe form. With myelomeningocele, a small membrane-covered sac forms through an opening in the baby’s spine. The sac contains cere- brospinal fluid and the protective tissues of the spinal cord, and often, nerves and parts of the spinal cord itself. Though myelo- meningocele may occur anywhere along the spine, it most often manifests in the lumbar and sacral areas. Wherever the myelome- ningocele occurs on the spine, nerve damage will result below it.
Hydrocephalus, an excess of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, is commonly associated with myelomeningocele. According to
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