Tethered Spinal Cord: How to Care for Your Child
A tethered spinal cord means that part of the spinal cord is attached to tissue inside the spinal canal. This prevents the spinal cord from moving freely as it should. As a child grows, the spinal cord may stretch out and cause pain. A tethered spinal cord is common in children with spina bifida (a birth defect that happens when a baby's backbone didn't form normally), but it also can happen in other kids. Some kids with a tethered cord have a birthmark, dimple, patch of hair, or bump on the lower back.
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Follow your health care provider's instructions about which activities and exercises are OK for your child.
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Go to any follow-up visits that your health care provider recommends. They might want your child to visit a surgeon or urologist (a doctor who specializes in the bladder and the urinary tract) to make a treatment plan.
Your child has:
Your child:
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can't pee
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has severe pain
What causes a tethered cord? A tethered cord can happen during pregnancy when there is a problem as the baby's spine develops. It also can happen after birth due to an injury to the spine or after surgery.
How is a tethered spinal cord fixed? In many children, the only way to treat a tethered cord is with surgery. If surgery isn't done, the stretching of the spinal cord can get worse. Most children stay in the hospital for a few days after surgery.