{"id":8435,"date":"2019-08-01T02:06:27","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T02:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8435"},"modified":"2021-06-17T15:59:18","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T15:59:18","slug":"14-steps-to-prevent-cerebral-palsy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-steps-to-prevent-cerebral-palsy\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Steps to Prevent Cerebral Palsy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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More than 10,000 American children are living with cerebral palsy. This congenital disorder creates neurological damage in the cerebellum, the region of the brain that handles motor skills, balance, and language. There is no surgical method or drug protocol that can reverse the damage done by the condition but managed care and support can help children cope with the effects of CP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical science is still at a loss to explain the reason for the onset of cerebral palsy, and there are no immediate medications or vaccines available to prevent CP from occurring during pregnancy directly. Children born with cerebral palsy find that they experience some form of mental and physical disability. In the worst cases, the child may develop quadriplegia, with severe learning and social impairments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expectant mothers can reduce the risk of their unborn child, developing the condition by making adjustments to lifestyle factors. Here are eight steps to prevent cerebral palsy during pregnancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.    Get Vaccinated<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research shows that exposure to viruses and bacteria when pregnant may increase the risk of the unborn child developing cerebral palsy. Some diseases, such as hepatitis <\/a>and the zika virus may cause complications with fetal development during pregnancy, resulting in congenital disabilities and issues with fetal development \u2013 such as cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women who are planning a family with their partner should visit their doctor for a checkup before falling pregnant. It’s vital to ensure that you have all of your vaccinations up to date to ensure that you do not transmit and infections to the unborn child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many mothers may be hesitant to get vaccinations due to the misinformation floating around the internet regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccines. However, the “anti-vax” movement does not base their findings in real medical science, and the data shows that vaccinations work, and only cause harm in sporadic cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women should wait for 6-months after receiving a vaccination before trying for a child with their partner.
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2.    Avoid High-Risk Areas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vaccines<\/a> play a significant role in protecting new mothers and their unborn children against infection from dangerous viruses and bacteria. However, the best preventative strategy available to pregnant women concerned with their unborn child developing CP is to avoid these high-risk areas altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High-risk areas for contracting diseases may include regions of the world where sanitation is poor, resulting in outbreaks of third-world illnesses that are uncommon in developed countries, such as the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CDC lists all of the high-risk areas in the world for contracting diseases. Regions such as the Caribbean and South America are notorious for zika outbreaks, and emerging economies may also struggle with providing adequate healthcare to their citizens, resulting in epidemics of disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By avoiding high-risk areas, there is less chance that pregnant mothers will experience an infection. Diseases like hepatitis and zika virus are preventable and avoidable, as long as the expectant mothers take caution with traveling while pregnant.
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3.    Control Lifestyle Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The exact cause of cerebral palsy<\/a> remains unknown to medical science. As a result of the inability to identify the precise reasons for the fetus developing the condition, doctors recommend that pregnant women maintain an active and healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. The mother should take a preventative stance to avoid adverse lifestyle factors while pregnant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public is well-aware of the dangers of consuming alcohol and smoking during pregnancy. However, these substances have the potential to be habit-forming in most individuals. As a result of the addictive effects of cigarettes and alcohol, many mothers may continue to smoke and drink while pregnant, resulting in congenital conditions arising in the fetus, such as cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are pregnant and are struggling to give up your bad lifestyle habits, seek professional help to quit. Working with a doctor and clinical psychologist may provide you with the support you need to stop these dangerous lifestyle factors from harming your unborn child.
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4.    Rh Factor Testing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The surface of red blood cells contains Rh or Rhesus factor. This inherited protein does not occur in everyone, and those individuals that are “Rh-negative,” are not at risk of developing any adverse health conditions due to the lack of Rh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, studies suggest that Rh is vital for pregnant women and the development of the fetus in the womb. Rh-negative women require special care during the pregnancy <\/a>to ensure that there are no complications with fetal growth and birth.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving an Rh test on the first trip to the doctor or gynecologist is a vital step in checking the health of the new mother. In some cases, the doctor may not offer this test, and new mothers should find a doctor that can administer the blood draw and check for the presence of Rh proteins in the bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should the test show that the fetus and mother have incompatibility in their blood types, then doctors will need to monitor the mother closely during the pregnancy.
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5.    Prevention During Birth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Advancements in medical science revolutionized prenatal care with ultrasound, x-rays<\/a>, and imaging equipment that allows doctors and parents to monitor the development of the fetus in the womb. As a result of the improvement in care and technology, it is now easier for physicians to identify congenital disabilities in the womb before birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, it is now easier for doctors to identify and treat prenatal conditions before they cause any harm to the unborn child. However, cerebral palsy is a congenital condition with no cure and no existing treatment that is effective for resolving the situation after birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a doctor suspects that the unborn child is suffering from the effects of cerebral palsy, it’s vital that they inform the parents and regularly monitor the fetus during the developmental stage. Doctors may issue expectant mothers with equipment to monitor fetal and maternal heart rates, allowing doctors to intervene if any problems arise during the pregnancy.
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6.    Watch for Jaundice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jaundice <\/a>causes a yellowing of the skin in newborn infants. While this is a relatively common occurrence, and easily treated \u2013 in some cases, medical practitioners may not notice the onset of the condition in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jaundice occurs when the liver produces too much bilirubin, a substance excreted by the liver to aid digestion. However, when bilirubin production exceeds normal levels, it can contaminate the bloodstream, leading to the development of severely adverse health issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left untreated and unmanaged, newborns who experience jaundice may end up receiving some form of brain damage due to the high levels of toxins in the blood. This condition, known as “kernicterus.” With the onset of this disease, the child is at risk of developing deafness, and intellectual disabilities, as well as cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, jaundice may only occur when the parents take the baby home. As a result, some new parents may not be able to identify pigment changes, resulting in the onset of kernicterus. If the child does not receive treatment in time, then they run the risk of developing CP.
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7.    Watch for Developmental Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

New parents need to watch their infant <\/a>for signs of slow development. Children that do not crawl, walk, or talk by the average age for learning these skills are exhibiting signs of developmental delays. These delays may occur due to a severe underlying health issue, such as cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice that your child is not responding to visual and verbal cues, or they have trouble learning to crawl or walk, then they may be dealing with the onset of cerebral palsy. The cerebellum controls balance and motor skills responsible for movement in the infant. Those children who develop CP, require monitoring by a medical professional to confirm the diagnosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there is no cure for cerebral palsy, monitoring the health and development of your child may prevent the occurrence of any complications with the condition. CP affects development in four areas, cognitive function, physical growth, emotional development, and social interaction. Each child experiences a different degree of underdevelopment in each of the four categories.
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8.    Reduce Head Injury Risk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The majority of cases of cerebral palsy occur in the womb before birth. However, in some cases, the child may develop brain damage that leads to CP after being born. During birth, a doctor may use forceps to remove the child from the womb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the baby may sustain a head injury during extraction, due to their thin, underdeveloped skull. Head injuries sustained by the baby after birth can lead to the development of CP, as well as other brain injuries<\/a> and deformations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Injuries sustained during early childhood may also result in the development of CP in the baby. “shaken baby syndrome” is one of the leading causes of post-natal cerebral palsy, where the parent shakes the child to stop them from crying. Falls and trips where the baby bashes their head on a hard surface may also result in brain damage that leads to the onset of CP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents should always ensure that their child takes the necessary safety precautions when enjoying activities like learning to ride a bike or skateboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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