Symptoms of Lipomyelomeningocele
All babies with a lipomyelomeningocele have a spinal cord that is stuck (tethered) into the fatty mass. This pulls the spinal cord downward. Tethered spinal cord can cause symptoms, including:
- Back and leg pain
- Weak and numb legs
- Changes in bladder and bowel control
Lipomyelomeningocele Diagnosis
Usually, doctors can see a lipomyelomeningocele when a baby is born. They may see a lump or some other type of mark on your baby's back, such as a fat pad, birthmark, dimple or tuft of hair.
Your child's doctor will ask for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the spine to get a better view of your baby's spinal cord and any abnormalities associated with it.