Birth defects range from mild to very serious. Some require little treatment at all and some cannot be treated or will result in early death regardless of treatment attempts. However, most birth defects lie somewhere between these two extremes and are treatable to some degree.

Specialists may be helpful or necessary for the treatment of certain birth defects. For example, skeletal defects may require the expertise of a pediatric orthopedist and neural tube defects typically require assistance from a pediatric neurologist and a surgeon.

Some birth defects can be treated before birth. For example, injections of blood products (immunoglobulin-Rhogam) are used to treat Rh disease of the newborn. Heart medications may be given to women carrying infants with certain heart defects and extra vitamins may be taken by women carrying infants with enzyme deficiencies. In some cases, birth defects may even be treated using surgery before birth. Prenatal surgery has been used to repair urinary tract blockages, lung tumors, neural tube defects (e.g., spina bifida) and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (an opening in the muscle between the chest and abdomen). However, these surgeries remain experimental and require further research.

Many structural defects are corrected through surgery in early infancy. Such surgery is often effective enough that the defect is completely cured, as is the case with many heart defects. Many birth defects can also be treated through nonsurgical means. Medications are often quite useful for metabolic defects, for example. Physical and occupational therapy may help infants with birth defects to overcome or correct some defects and build and maintain muscle tone and coordination. Speech therapy may also be useful for some individuals.

Early intervention services can help children with many problems associated with birth defects. These may include feeding support and nutritional services. It usually includes information on assistive technology (e.g., leg braces) and social work services that may help accommodate a child living with birth defects as he or she ages.