​National Spina Bifida Awareness Month - Spina Bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine doesn't form properly.

​National Spina Bifida Awareness Month 2024 – October 2024

There are hundreds of thousands of people who have Spina Bifida, and throughout the month of October, we celebrate National Spina Bifida Awareness Month to raise awareness and support for them. Spina Bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly. This neural tube becomes the baby’s brain, spinal cord, and the tissues that enclose them. Typically, there’s a gap in the baby’s back instead of an opening and there’s no damage to the spinal cord or the nerves.

History of National Spina Bifida Awareness Month

Spinal defects have existed since the beginnings of mankind. Anthropologists have uncovered many depictions in statues and artifacts from ancient civilizations of people young and old with malformed spinal cords. In the Classical Period of the Greek physician Hippocrates, descriptive writings revealed such defects, though they didn’t have the proper medical science and tools to heal them at the time.The first description of a spina bifida case was by Nicolas Tulp in 1653. Tulp proposed the term and described it as a vertebral anomaly and it was considered a duplication of the spinous process of the vertebra. Spina Bifida was first found in the textbook Observationes Medicae, written by Tulp, with descriptions of six Spina Bifida cases. One illustration showed a Spina Bifida case of a child with a large lumbar level myelomeningocele defect.From the early 1600s to the mid-1800s, surgeons attempted to treat Spina Bifida to no avail. Despite this, they continued their research and approached the defect with new techniques, draining or injecting solutions into the sac. Mortality rates fell, but patient debilitation was still the end result. In the middle of the nineteenth century, Dr. James Morton used an iodine and glycerine solution for injection into the sac and this technique proved successful.In 1973, the Spina Bifida Association of America was formed in Chicago Illinois and it was primarily used as a source of information for its chapters and members. They enabled children with spina bifida to live longer by using new treatments and diagnostic tools that helped families affected by it. As time goes on, the month of October is named as its official month and in the twenty-first century, events and fundraisers have increased in the ongoing battle to better treat spina bifida.

National Spina Bifida Awareness Month timeline

20th century
October is the Month

National Spina Bifida Awareness Month is proposed for October and events and fundraisers for spina bifida grows.

1900s
New Solutions

Dr. James Morton develops an iodine and glycerine solution that decreases the mortality rate for spina bifida patients.

1800s
Unsuccessful

Try as they might, surgeons are unable to decrease mortality rates for spina bifida.

1600s
The Name

Spina bifida was first found in the textbook Observationes Medicae, written by Nicolas Tulp.

4th Century
Classical Science

Hippocrates has descriptive writings of spina bifida, but the science of the time wasn’t advanced enough to treat it.

​National Spina Bifida Awareness Month FAQs

Where can I donate?

You can donate at spinabifidaassociation.org/.

How much are they trying to raise?

In October, they’re trying to raise $15,000.

Is there a spina bifida awareness time that’s global?

The international holidays World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day take place on October 25.

How To Observe National Spina Bifida Awareness Month

  1. Donate to charity

    While many advancements have been made when it comes to spina bifida treatment, there's always a need for more tools and resources when it comes to spina bifida. The money also goes toward shaping public policy on important issues that affect the community and it delivers vital information to individuals, families, and healthcare professionals. Spreading awareness is essential for making strides.

  2. Make it a theme

    Everyone loves a theme, especially when it's for a good cause. Request a day to celebrate spina bifida awareness during October for your school or job. Invite everyone to wear teal in honor of the day and throw a pizza party or potluck where everyone brings their favorite dish. People can pitch in an amount to donate and have a goal set up that you want to reach. You’ll have a good time while also knowing that you’re making a difference.

  3. Get social

    You can educate yourself using social media by learning about those most affected by spina bifida. You can learn about the personal stories of everyday people by using the hashtag #SpinaBifida and in doing so, you educate yourself on the cause. From there, you can share, post, and do your part in informing others. Online there are webinar series and educational tools at your disposal that can be found at SpinaBifidaAssociation.com.

Five Facts About National Spina Bifida Awareness Month

  1. Common

    Myelomeningocele is the most common and severe form of spina bifida.

  2. The unknown

    No one knows for sure, but scientists believe that spina bifida occurs because of genetics and the environment.

  3. One of a kind

    Spina bifida is referred to as the “snowflake condition” because no two are alike.

  4. Breakthroughs

    Some babies can have surgery in the womb to minimize the damage of spina bifida.

  5. Early signs

    Spina bifida occurs in the first 28 days of pregnancy.

Why National Spina Bifida Awareness Month Is Important

  1. It’s very relevant

    Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect in the United States. Of the more than 4 million babies born, 1,500 to 2,000 are affected by it. Because it's so common it's important to be aware and to be prepared so that we can help as many people with valuable knowledge.

  2. The cost of care

    Spina bifida takes an emotional and financial toll on families. Children that have spina bifida have medical expenditures thirteen times greater than those without the defect. Anything that we can do to lessen the strain is necessary to make it a little easier for them.

  3. We can find answers

    There currently isn’t a cure for spina bifida, but scientists are hard at work doing all they can to find one. As of right now, the defect can be minimized and managed, but the more we draw attention to it and fund the research, the closer we get to curing it completely.

National Spina Bifida Awareness Month dates

Year Date Day
2023 October 1 Sunday
2024 October 1 Tuesday
2025 October 1 Wednesday
2026 October 1 Thursday
2027 October 1 Friday
International Coffee Day
World Vegetarian Day
​International Day of Older Persons
Chinese National Day
National Black Dog Day
National Homemade Cookies Day
National Hair Day
National Fire Pup Day
​Pchum Ben
National Lace Day
CD Player Day
Model T Day
International Music Day
Balloons Around the World Day
Filipino American History Month
World Ballet Day
National Day of China
Teacher's Day in Uzbekistan
ROK Alliance Day
Nigeria Independence Day
Cyprus Independence Day
World Sake Day
Tuvalu Independence Day
International Raccoon Appreciation Day
National Fruit at Work Day
Investiture of the Captains Regent in San Marino
FGTeeV Chase's Birthday
Peter Thomas's Birthday
Julie Andrews's Birthday
Latisha Scott's Birthday
Dorian Hunter's Birthday
Jurnee Smollett-Bell's Birthday
Matthew Daddario's Birthday
Priah Ferguson's Birthday
Delianna Urena's Birthday
Zach Galifianakis's Birthday
Nathaniel Drew's Birthday
Myles Parrish's Birthday
RD Benji's Birthday
Brie Larson's Birthday
Drew Chadwick's Birthday
Isis King's Birthday
National Walk Your Dog Week
Elderly Filipino Week
Health Literacy Month
​​Italian American Heritage Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Wellness Month
German American Heritage Month
National Caramel Month
National Chili Month
​National Dental Hygiene Month
​National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Dessert Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Pasta Month
National Pickled Peppers Month
​National Pizza Month
​National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Pretzel Month
National Sausage Month
Polish American Heritage Month
​Fair Trade Month
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month
Vegetarian Month
National Chiropractic Month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
​Blindness Awareness Month
AIDS Awareness Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
​National ADHD Awareness Month
​National Critical Illness Awareness Month
​National Ergonomics Month
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​National Protect Your Hearing Month
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​World Menopause Month
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​National Book Month
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Go Sober For October
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Financial Planning Month
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National Apple Month
National Non-GMO Month
National Pescatarian Month
Celebrate The Bilingual Child Month
Bat Appreciation Month
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​National Learning and Development Month
Contact Lens Safety Month
Country Music Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
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Head Start Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
National Arts & Humanities Month
National Cookbook Month
Long Term Care Planning Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Audiology Awareness Month
National LGBT History Month
​National Bullying Prevention Month
Eye Injury Prevention Month
World Animal Month
Unblocktober
National Pet Wellness Month
World Autism Month
Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
World Habitat Awareness Month
Museums and Galleries Month
National Pitbull Awareness Month
Squirrel Awareness Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
​​Global Diversity Awareness Month
Family History Month
International School Libraries Month
Hog Out Month
Prenatal-onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
​Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Work and Family Month
​National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
The Big Draw
National Indigenous Peoples Month
American Pharmacists Month
Black Speculative Fiction Month
​Healthy Lung Month