Detrusor action in children with myelomeningocele.

About 3000 children a year are born in the United Kingdom with myelomeningocele (Eckstein and Macnab, 1966). Up to the present time attention has been focused on early closure of the back lesion, adequate and efficient drainage ofthe hydrocephalus, and management of the orthopaedic problems. It is now to be expected in our present series that 75 % of these children will be of normal intelligence, and most of them will walk, with the aid of calipers if necessary. Their major handicap as they approach school age will be their incontinence. In many instances this will prevent them attending normal schools.