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Tethered Spinal Cord


Question

During the time that my daughter was diagnosed with CdLS, my doctor noticed that my daughter had a small patch of hair on the base of her spine. The patch is no longer there, but there is a small birth mark present. Her Doctor thinks that it could be a sign of tethered cord. My daughter doesn’t show any neurological effects so far. She does have occasional accidents and she is also a chronic bed-wetter and has had a history of bladder infections. They are going to conduct an MRI to help confirm. Can these be symptoms of a tethered spinal cord? Is this common in children with CdLS?

Answer of our experts

While it is certainly not common, there is an impression that things such as a tethered cord and occult spinal dysraphism may indeed be a little more common in children with CdLS - but this could also be by chance. MRI is a good idea.

CB/ TK 7-13-10

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