Or anyone else that may know or have a suggestion. I have a daycare parent that will be having a little boy on November 18th (c-section, three weeks early) and they already know he has spina bifida. I usually get a fleece baby blanket, wrap a package of diapers in it and put a ribbon with a baby rattle on top for my daycare parents who have babies. What I want to know is if this would be a good gift for this particular baby??? Could the diapers irratate where the hole in the spine is? They've been told it's at L4. That's pretty low. Should I get this little guy something else and if so, what would be a good gift? This is the family that has a 4yo girl and tried for three years to get pregnant and finally adopted a little boy and then found out two weeks later they were pregnant. The little boy they adopted will only be 8 1/2 months old when his little brother is born! I'm just trying to find the perfect gift that won't get wasted (if they can't use the diapers). This is a really great family. I won't be keeping either baby after this one is born, partly because I won't have room (have another infant starting after Thanksgiving) and also because the mom doesn't know when/if she'll be going back to work. She's a pediatric home physical therapist and only works two days a week anyway, and has mentioned hopefully working only Saturdays after this little guy is born so dad can keep the kids. Anyway, tia for any suggestions.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 06:11 pm:

I did a bit of quick net research, and it appears that diapers are entirely appropriate.

While spina bifida is tragic, in my research I read many positive comments from parents and other sources. One thing I read was that the lower down the spine where the hole is, the better (if one can say "better" in this setting), as there is often nerve damage at the site and the higher up the site the more nerves that are affected.

By Cat on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 07:09 pm:

Thanx, Ginny. They don't know how severe the spina bifida is yet. We do know that L4 is better than if it were higher, though. At the very least the little boy will have bladder and bowel control problems, and at the very most he'll be paralized. They're hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. He will have surgery within 12 hours of birth. Guess I'll stick with my standard gift. My last parents LOVED getting the diapers. The mom said they're the dad's favorite baby gift.

By Marcia on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 11:18 pm:

Yes, that gift will be good. From the point of the opening down, he will have no feeling. He will need to be catheterized to urinate, but will still need diapers. I'm generalizing because that's the way it almost always is, although there are some cases where the child actually has feeling, but that typically wouldn't involve an open lesion that would need surgery.
Although it's a crummy thing to have to deal with, most of the time kids with SB grow up to lead full lives.
Great that the mom's a PT! He's going to be a lucky little guy!

By Cat on Sunday, October 31, 2004 - 12:20 am:

Thanx, Marcia. I didn't know if wearing the diaper would cause problems where the opening is. My last day with the other little guy is the 11th because family is coming into town. The little girl I haven't had for a few months now because she started preschool, but I had her for over 1 1/2 years before that. They really are a great family. This mom is one of my best daycare parents. Thanx again, Marcia and Ginny.

By Amel on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 02:55 pm:

I realize I am responding to an old post but would just like to stick in a note here that most people with Spina Bifida become allergic to Latex. Even when babies do not immediately react to latex, they still need to be on Latex precautions since it it a cumulative allergy.
I am the mom of a girl with Spina Bifida and have been active in the SB community for 13 years. So many of the kids I know with this have almost died from a Latex reaction. Never give a gift that contains latex. That includes little pants with latex in the waist lines, dresses with elastic gathers on the sleeves, toys that contain latex, or plastic pants that contain latex. Think of Gymboree or Hanna Anderson type clothes. Also, only silicone pacifiers are safe for these babies.
The children should not attend gatherings where Latex balloons are used. Some parents mistakenly thing their children are not allergic since they have not yet presented with a reaction. But since this is a cumulative allergy, each exposure puts them one step closer to a reaction that could be deadly. Even though I explained this, I still received toys and cloths that my daughter could not use.
Sincerely,
Linda L.

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, February 26, 2005 - 03:16 pm:

Welcome, Linda, and thanks for providing information which could be life-saving.