Lennox Mohr

Lennox was born with tethered cord syndrome. She also a birth mark and lipoma (fatty tumor) over the small of her back and a cyst at the end of the spinal cord. Within hours of being born Lennox had an ultrasound and MRI to confirm the diagnosis of a tethered cord. Normally, the spinal cord moves freely inside the spinal canal. A tethered cord is when part of the spinal cord is attached inside the spinal canal, and the spinal cord cannot move freely. Kids with tethered cords don't always have symptoms. But as a child grows, the nerves in the spinal cord can become stretched. When this happens, signals may not travel as easily back and forth between the brain and certain parts of the body. A child may have back pain; leg pain; numbness or tingling in the legs; leg weakness; trouble walking; a frequent or sudden need to pee; constipation; difficulty peeing, or pee or poop accidents, paralysis. Some kids have a birthmark, dimple, patch of hair, or bump on their lower back. In children, surgery to release "untether" the spinal cord is recommended to prevent or reverse progressive neurological symptoms. If doctors do not correct houw the spinal cord is attached, the child's growth will stretch and damage the spinal cord, causing further problems with movement, nerves and urination.