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Article: Reaching for independence counseling implications for youth with Spina Bifida.(Report)
- Article from:
- Journal of Counseling and Development
- Article date:
- January 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 American Counseling Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In the United States, an estimated 70,000 people live with spina bifida (Spina Bifida Association of America [SBAA], n.d.), one of the most complex congenital abnormalities compatible with long-term survival (Bowman, McLone, Grant, Tomita, & Ito, 2001). Spina bifida is a neural tube defect occurring in the 1st month of pregnancy, when the spinal column fails to close completely. Approximately 90% of children with severe spina bifida also experience hydrocephalus, resulting in the need to have a shunt implanted (SBAA, n.d.). Comorbid conditions include full or partial paralysis, bladder and bowel incontinence, learning deficits, depression, latex allergies, and a myriad of ...