Terminology related to Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
- Abduction
- sideways movement of the limbs away from the midline
- Adduction
- sideways movement toward the midline
- Anencephaly
- open neural tube defect with absent brain development, leading to early death
- Ankle foot orthosis
- brace extending from below the knee to the toes to support the ankle
- Anterior fontanel
- the soft spot on the front of the head of an infant
- Anticholinergic medication
- drug used to relax the bladder
- Apnea
- when breathing stops for more than 5-10 seconds
- Arthrodesis
- the surgical fixation of a joint
- Ataxia
- a neurologic condition in which coordination of movement is impaired
- Attention deficit
- a specific difficulty with concentration that can impair school performance and social relationships
- Autonomic nervous system
- the nerves that regulate automatic functions of the body
- Bladder irrigation
- flushing the bladder with fluid through a catheter
- Bladder augmentation
- bladder surgery to enlarge the bladder
- Brace
- an aid for the support of a joint
- Brainstem
- the lower portion of the brain important for breathing and other vital functions
- Calcaneovalgus
- a foot deformity in which the heel is turned outward and the front part of the foot is elevated
- Catheter
- a hollow tube used to drain the bladder
- Cecostomy
- a procedure to do enemas through a tube in the abdomen instead of the rectum
- Central nervous system
- the brain and spinal cord
- Cerebellum
- small part of the nervous system situated at the back of the brain, which is concerned with coordination of movements and bodily functions
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- the clear liquid that flows inside and outside the brain and spine
- Cervical
- pertaining to the neck
- Chiari II malformation
- condition which frequently accompanies spina bifida in which the lower part of the brainstem protrudes through an opening in the skull base into the upper neck
- Clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC)
- a technique of inserting a catheter, draining a full bladder, and then removing the catheter
- Clubfoot
- foot deformity, usually talipes equinovarus
- Coccyx
- the tailbone of the spine
- Cognitive
- pertaining to functions of the brain such as thinking, learning, and processing information
- Constipation
- difficult, infrequent defecation; sluggish action of the bowels
- Continence
- ability to control urination and bowel stimulation
- Contracture
- fixed deformity at the joints due to shortening of soft tissue and resulting in loss of range of motion
- Corpus callosum
- a midline structure in the brain
- Cranium bifidum (encephalocele)
- a defect in the skull with protrusion of brain tissue
- Crede
- a manoeuvre to empty the bladder by placing pressure on the lower abdomen
- Cyanosis
- dusky blue skin colour usually due to severe breathing problems
- Decubitus
- an ulcer or sore on the skin as a result of pressure
- Detrusor
- the bladder muscle
- Detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD)
- failure of the bladder sphincter to open up when the bladder muscle contracts
- Developmental delay
- a significant lag between a child’s age and his/her level of development
- Disability
- a lifelong condition affecting important activities or functions of daily living
- Dislocated
- a joint that is out of place, not in its socket
- Dorsiflex
- a backward bending of the forefoot of the ankle
- Dura
- the outer membrane of the meninges
- Encephalocele
- a defect of the skull with protrusion of brain tissue
- Enema
- a liquid medicine inserted into the rectum to stimulate a bowel movement
- Equinovarus
- similar to equinus, with additional inward turning of the forefoot
- Equinus
- deformity of the foot in which the heel is pulled up and the forefoot is pulled down
- Eversion
- movement of the foot in which the sole turns outward away from the midline
- Expressive language
- the ability to express ideas in words and sentences
- Extension
- the straightening of a joint; the opposite of flexion
- Femur
- the thighbone, extending from the pelvis to the knee
- Flaccid
- relaxed, flabby, having little or absent muscle tone
- Flexion
- the bending of a joint; the opposite of extension
- Gait
- the style of walking
- Gastrocs
- the calf muscles
- Hamstrings
- the large muscles at the back of the thigh
- Handicap
- an environmental or attitudinal barrier facing a person with a disability
- Heel cord
- the Achilles tendon below the calf muscle
- Hip adductors
- the muscles on the inside of the thigh that move the leg sideways toward the midline
- Hydrocephalus
- excessive cerebrospinal fluid in and around the brain
- Hydromyelia
- increased fluid in the central canal of the spinal cord
- Hydronephrosis
- widening and enlargement of the ureters and the collecting system of the kidneys
- Hypersensitivity
- heightened sensitivity to a stimulus of some kind, ie touch, taste, hearing
- Hypertonia
- a neurologic condition in which muscles have excessive contraction when they are stretched, that is, spasticity
- Hypotonia
- a neurologic condition of low tone, that is, floppiness
- Heal conduit
- surgical procedure to drain the kidneys through an opening on the abdomen, thus bypassing the bladder
- Impaction
- severe constipation
- Impairment
- physical (or mental) problem in the individual that has the potential to interfere with functional activities
- Incontinent
- passing of urine or feces at unwanted or unexpected times
- Inversion
- movement of the foot in which the sole turns toward the midline
- Knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO)
- brace extending from upper thigh to the toes to support the knee and ankle
- Kyphosis
- a humplike curvature of the spine, commonly found in the region of the myelomeningocele
- Latex
- the sap of the rubber tree which is used to make products such as balloons, rubber catheter and enema devices, surgical gloves, condoms, etc.
- Learning disability
- a specific difference in learning that leads to underachievement in school
- Lesion
- site of damage or injury
- Ligament
- fibrous bands that hold bones together in the region of a joint
- Lipoma
- swelling made of fat; sometimes found with myelomeningocele
- Locomotion
- moving by walking, crawling, or the like
- Lordosis
- an abnormally increased curvature of the spine, causing a hollow appearance in the lower back
- Lumbar
- the lower part of the back
- Macrocephaly
- an abnormally large head size
- Meninges
- fibrous sheaths that envelop the brain and spinal cord
- Meningocele
- a protrusion of the meninges, without brain or spinal cord, through a defect in the spine or skull
- Microcephaly
- an abnormally small, head, usually accompanied by developmental delay
- Myelomeningocele
- a protrusion of the spinal cord through a defect in the spine
- Neural placode
- abnormal, splayed-open nerve tissue at the site of a neural tube defect
- Neural tube
- the part of the embryo that develops into the brain and spinal cord
- Neurogenic bladder
- the condition of the bladder in spina bifida, in which it does not fill or empty normally
- Neurosurgeon
- a surgeon specializing in the treatment of brain and spinal cord problems
- Nystagmus
- involuntary jerking movement of the eye in any direction
- Occupational therapist
- a health care professional who addresses the issues of fine motor and perceptual motor skills, daily living skills, academic and prevocational concerns, seating and mobility, home and school accessibility
- Orthopedic surgeon
- a surgeon specializing in the treatment of bones, joints, and muscles
- Orthosis
- a device used to correct, prevent, or support deformities to improve function of movable body parts
- Orthotist
- a person specially trained in making and modifying orthoses
- Osteoporosis
- brittle bones with deficient calcium; bones can fracture easily
- Osteotomy
- the surgical cutting of a bone to improve alignment
- Paralysis
- loss of muscle activity or movement
- Parplegia
- paralysis of both legs
- Parapodium
- a crutchless standing device utilized for young children with paraplegia
- Patella
- the kneecap
- Pediatrician
- a doctor who specialises in the treatment of children
- Physiotherapist
- a health care professional who addresses the issues of gross motor skills, including standing and walking abilities; also assesses joint range and muscle strength, and provides prescription and training in the use of equipment and orthotics
- Plantar flexion
- ankle flexed so that the foot is pointing upward
- Posterior fossa
- region at the back of the skull
- Precocious puberty
- early onset of body changes and development of adult sexual features
- Prone
- describing the position of a person lying horizontally on the abdomen, with the face turned downward
- Proximal
- closer to any point of reference
- Quadriceps
- the group of muscles on the front of the thigh that extend the knee
- Quadriplegia
- paralysis of all four limbs
- Rachischisis
- a congenital condition in which the spinal cord is completely exposed and deformed
- Range of motion
- the full extent of movement of a particular joint
- Receptive language
- the ability to understand spoken language
- Reciprocal
- alternating, as feet alternate in walking
- Reciprocating gait orthosis (RGO)
- a brace extending from the chest to the foot allowing alternating movement of the legs for walking
- Reflex
- an involuntary response to a specific stimulus
- Reflux
- abnormal backward flow of urine from the bladder up the ureters toward the kidney
- Renal
- pertaining to the kidneys
- Sacrum
- the triangular bone at the base of the spine that is firmly bound to the pelvis
- Scoliosis
- an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine
- Seizure
- sudden episodes of eye staring, twitching or thrashing of arms and/or legs; may or may not involve loss of consciousness
- Sensory nerve ending
- end of the nerve fibres which detect feelings of pain, pressure, temperature
- Shunt
- a tube that connects two spaces, usually the ventricles with the peritoneal space in the abdomen
- Shunt revision
- repair or replacement of the shunt through surgery
- Soft tissue surgery
- operations that involve lengthening muscles or tendons or releasing tight ligaments
- Spasticity
- permanently increased muscle tone
- Speech language pathologist
- a health care professional who evaluates and provides suggestions related to feeding, speech, and language skills
- Sphincter
- circular muscle surrounding an opening in the body
- Spinal cord
- part of the nervous system enclosed within the backbone which transmits impulses to and from the brain
- Spinal fusion
- an operation to make the spine stronger or straighter
- Spinous processes
- the bony projections at the back of the vertebrae
- Standing frame
- braces attached to a standing platform
- Stoma
- opening of the surgically diverted urinary conduit or bowel
- Strabismus
- squint or deviation of the eye
- Stridor
- a high-pitched or noisy breathing, especially when inhaling
- Subluxation
- a condition in which a joint begins to slip out of alignment
- Sunset sign or sunsetting eyes
- downward positioning of the eyeballs
- Supine
- positioned lying horizontally on the back, with the face upward
- Suppository
- medicine, usually with a softener or a stimulant laxative, inserted into the rectum
- Swing-to gait
- walking by putting both crutches forward and then lifting both feet and swinging them forward
- Syringomyelia
- abnormal fluid filled cavities in the spinal cord
- Syrinx
- a fluid filled space in the spinal cord, usually in the neck, that can cause neurologic symptoms
- Talipes equinovarus
- typical clubfoot deformity, with heel inversion and foot plantar flexion
- Talus
- the bone of the foot that meets the tibia and fibula to form the main ankle joint
- Tendon Transfer
- surgical procedure to move a tendon of a muscle so that the muscle pulls in another direction
- Tenotomy
- cutting a tendon to weaken its pull
- Tethered cord
- attachment of the lower end of the spinal cord to the bottom of the spinal column causing over stretching of the cord
- Thoracic
- pertaining to the chest or upper part of the trunk
- Tibia
- the larger bone in the lower leg, the shinbone
- Tone
- the degree of resistance of muscle to stretch
- Two-point gait
- walking by moving the right crutch and left leg together, then the left crutch and the right leg
- Ultrasound
- test using inaudible sound frequencies to produce an image of a body part
- Ureters
- tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder
- Urethra
- the tube through which urine naturally flows from the bladder during urination
- Urinary retention
- incomplete urination
- Urodynamics
- a test to measure urinary continence through measurement of bladder pressure
- Urologist
- a doctor who specialises in the treatment of urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra) problems
- VCUG
- voiding cystourethrogram: bladder x-ray
- Valgus
- bent outward, away from the midline
- Varus
- bent inward, toward the midline
- Ventricles
- the interconnected spaces in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid
- Ventriculitis
- an infection of the ventricles, usually involving the shunt
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunt
- plastic tube connecting the ventricles to the abdomen to treat hydrocephalus
- Vertebrae
- the bones of the spinal column (backbone)
- Walker
- movable aid used to provide stability