Most people living with Spina Bifida will have some loss of bowel control (neurogenic bowel). This means that the brain and the bowel are not working together as well as they should.
The nerves that control the bowel, including the anus are located low in the spine. Your child may require a toileting routine and techniques to achieve continence (control of the bowels).
The two main problems that can happen with the bowel are:
- it doesn’t empty properly (constipation)
- it allows feacesto leak either some or all the time (incontinence).
Bowel management is important to maintain healthy skin, kidneys and bladder, prevent chronic constipation and encourage confidence. Check out our factsheet to learn more about bowel management strategies.