Spina bifida today: problems adults face.

Late deterioration is common in patients with a myelodysplasia. Most, possibly all, of this deterioration is preventable or correctable. It is not simply the natural history of the disease. Only through close follow-up by trained observers can these problems be anticipated and discovered early. Regularly scheduled evaluations of intellectual, musculoskeletal, and urinary systems are essential. When the clinician is familiar with the signs and symptoms of the various causes of deterioration and armed with ultrasound, myelography, CT, and MRI, the most likely cause can be identified and a treatment plan outlined.