Spina bifida is the second most common disability in children.

The National Spina Bifida Association docu­ments more than 70,000 individuals in the United States living with spina bifida. This is a small frac­tion of all those affected worldwide. Spina bifida is a complex disorder that has physical, psychological, and social implications. Medical professionals treating these individuals should have a thorough understand­ing of the spectrum of the disability.