Stay healthy during pregnancy to prevent cerebral palsy

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), staying healthy during pregnancy can help prevent developmental problems like cerebral palsy in infants and young children. To maintain a healthy pregnancy, the CDC recommends getting early and regular prenatal care, washing your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection, brushing your teeth at least twice and flossing once a day, getting vaccinated against flu and contact a doctor. healthcare provider as soon as possible if you are sick.

Professionals at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Eunice Kennedy Shriver offer these additional recommendations:

• Begin or continue to get at least 400 micrograms of folic acid by taking vitamin supplements every day. Most prenatal vitamins contain that amount of folic acid.

• Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco.

• Avoid exposure to toxic substances, such as radiation, pesticides, some metals, and certain chemicals. If you are not sure if something could be harmful, avoid contact with it until you check with your healthcare provider.

• Eat a healthy diet. Choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products to help ensure that the developing fetus gets all the nutrients it needs.

• Eat a safe diet. Avoid certain foods like raw fish, undercooked meat, cold cuts, and unpasteurized cheeses like certain types of feta and blue cheese.

• Limit your intake of caffeine. Talk to your healthcare provider about the amount of caffeine you get from coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate. They can limit their intake to 200 milligrams (the amount in about a 12-ounce cup of coffee) per day.

Babies with cerebral palsy often have developmental delays and are slow to reach key developmental milestones. Mothers and fathers are often concerned about the development of their babies or young children if the child has trouble learning to roll over, sit, crawl, or walk. Symptoms and effects, which range from mild to severe, can also include mental impairment and / or slurred speech, drooling, growth problems, and / or growth retardation. Other indicators include attention span problems, unusual tension and irritability, vision and hearing difficulties, seizures, lethargy, muscle spasticity, using one side of the body more than the other, and poor feeding ability.

Risk factors for developing cerebral palsy can include low birth weight, preterm labor, multiple births, assisted reproductive technology, infections during pregnancy, jaundice and kernicterus, and medical conditions of the mother. Mothers with thyroid problems, intellectual disabilities, or seizures have a slightly higher risk of having a child with cerebral palsy.

Any trauma or damage to the brain during the first years of life can cause cerebral palsy. Some of the more common non-medical causes of the disorder include child abuse, blunt head trauma, car accidents, and near drowning. In some cases, children develop cerebral palsy as a result of negligence or carelessness by doctors.

If your child has developed cerebral palsy as a result of negligent medical care or irresponsibility, it is wise to contact a law firm with attorneys who specialize in cerebral palsy cases. Caring for a child affected with cerebral palsy can place a heavy financial and emotional burden on your family. It is possible that an agreement can be obtained, which can be of great help to medical treatment and rehabilitation.