Tag Archives: spina bifida

Parents Magazine Puts First Child with Spina Bifida on Cover

This month, when you are walking past the magazine section in the grocery store, stop and take a look at Parents Magazine. The cover features an adorable little girl named Emily. This cover photo makes history. It is the first time a magazine has put a child with spina bifida on the cover. Emily Kiecher is an adorable three year old. She has been selected as the cover model for Parent Magazine’s February 2013 edition. Emily has blond hair, a happy smile, and a pink, poofy, skirt that only a preschooler can get away with wearing in public. It matches … Continue reading →

What is Spina Bifida, and Who is at Risk?

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What is Spina Bifida? Every year, about 3,000 infants are born with spina bifida, a neural tube defect which occurs during the first month of pregnancy. The spinal column of an unborn child begins to form early, often before a woman even realizes she is pregnant. If the spine does not fuse together properly, it leaves the delicate nerves of the spinal cord exposed or damaged. This is spina bifida. In severe cases, there may be brain involvement, causing fluid on the brain and requiring a permanent shunt for drainage. Spina bifida typically causes varying degrees of disability, from partial … Continue reading →