Adolescents and young people with spina bifida.

This study investigated how young people with myelomeningocele see their situation, and defines some of their problems. 35 adolescents and young people with this condition were interviewed. The evidence suggests that the over-all problems of these young people are common to many with congenital physical disabilities, but neurogenic bowel and bladder are additional complications not often experienced by others with orthopaedic disabilities. Those with ileal conduits frequently reported both social embarrassment and management difficulties, but bowel incontinence was rarely a dominant problem. The findings indicate that the young person's ability to cope with physical and emotional situations is ultimately not determined by the severity of the disability, but is a product of all the environmental support systems that have been available to him since birth.