ORLANDO, Fla. – When Courtney Anderson and her family arrived for a routine ultrasound to learn the sex of their baby, they expected joy — not life-changing news.

Doctors told them their son, later named Phoenix, had spina bifida, a rare congenital malformation affecting the spine that can impair brain development and cause lifelong complications.

“We found it early, and we were lucky,” Anderson said, recalling the shock of the diagnosis and the relief of learning about new surgical options.

Spina bifida is a congenital malformations affecting the spine and unfortunately, it can impact the development of the brain. Most kids who have spina bifida will have an impact for the rest of their lives, said Dr. Samer Elbabaa, Pediatric Neurosurgeon at Winnie Palmer and Arnold Palmer Hospital.

See Full Page