Final answer:
The signs and symptoms of Tethered Cord Syndrome vary, with early onset characterized by temperature instability, apnea, bradycardia, and difficulty feeding. Later in life, symptoms can include muscle weakness, visual disturbances, and hair loss. The onset and range of symptoms warrant thorough medical evaluation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Signs and Symptoms of Tethered Cord Syndrome
Tethered cord syndrome is a condition that affects the spinal cord. Its signs and symptoms can manifest differently depending on the age of onset. Early onset symptoms may include temperature instability, apnea, bradycardia (slow heart rate), hypotension, difficulty feeding, irritability, and limpness. Additional signs in infants could be a bulging fontanel, stiff neck, or opisthotonos. When the syndrome develops or is diagnosed later in life, symptoms often include visual disturbances, muscle weakness, impaired coordination and balance, numbness or a "pins and needles" sensation, hair loss, dermatitis, and sometimes severe conditions such as hemiparesis and seizures.
These symptoms are varied due to the complex nature of the condition, which can interfere with many different neurological and bodily functions. Therefore, any combination of the above symptoms, especially when they are progressive, should prompt further medical evaluation for tethered cord syndrome or related disorders.