Does the chiari malformation run in families? will my children get it?

Uncertain: There are different types of chiari. There have been rare reports of a tendency for this to run in families. It's not common. To prevent the severe forms of chiari malformation and other neural tube defects, it's important for women of child-bearing age to have adequate Folic Acid in their diets even before they conceive! talk to your family doctor or ob-gyn about good "pre-conception" nutrition.

Probably not: Chiari malformations are not generally felt to be inherited. That being said, the true causes are still being investigated and debated and there are a number of theories still on the table. Although many cases can be detected in childhood with MRI scanning, I am not aware of any predictive tests.