title: Spinal cord injury in the newborn infant.
abstract: Birth injury to the spinal cord secondary to traction forces during delivery is a common but frequently undiagnosed disorder. The injury usually affects the cervicodorsal junction, with both extradural hematoma and direct cord damage at that level. Clinical findings of a paraplegic infant with abdominal breathing are sometimes obscured by secondary pneumonia and/or hypoxia. Radiologic manifestations  include a bell shaped chest indicative of loss of the external muscles of respiration; spinal roentgenograms are usually normal. Myelography in neonatal spinal injury demonstrates a block in the subarachnoid space; infrequently localized cord atrophy may be identified.
mesh_terms: D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011859:Radiography; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*