Mother of a Chinese baby, who was born with a three-inch long 'tail,' is requesting doctors to help the child.
Seven-month-old Xiao Wei was born with spina bifida, a medical condition in which the end of the spine grows abnormally due to its improper closure. The mother, Chen Wei, has asked several doctors to treat the baby's disorder but is unhappy with the response. The doctors say the treatment of the infant is not possible at the moment. "We have asked the surgeons to remove the tail but they tell us it is not that simple," Wei said.
Doctors say there are medical limitations in treating Xiao. "The growth is quite well developed and now measures some 10 centimeters. If we cut it off, it will simply grow again. We need to repair the spinal canal first to stop it reoccurring," surgeon Huang Chanping told news agencies.
There are different types of spina bifida. Xiao is suffering from myelomeningocele, the most serious type of the disorder. In this the membranes and spinal cord come out and create a sac in the baby's back. This may affect the nervous system and can prove fatal. Daily Mail reported that surgeries can close the imperfection but damage to the nervous system would already have taken place. This may result in paralysis and incontinence.
Chinese doctors said that in Xiao's case, his outer spinal canal wall is damaged and has led to the unusual growth of the spine.
The risk factors attached with spina bifida are learning disabilities and increased chances of ADHD. In order to avoid any brain damage and physical disability, doctors perform surgery during formative years of the baby. Expecting mothers are advised to take adequate folic acid to avoid the disorder.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, around 1,500 babies are born with spina bifida every year in the U.S.
