Prevention of Cerebral Palsy


Because the causes of Cerebral Palsy are not known for sure, prevention strategies are only precautionary steps someone can take in order to increase their chances of having a healthy pregnancy in order to lower the risk of having a child with Cerebral Palsy.

Some possible prenatal prevention strategies include:

  • Maintaining  a healthy diet and ensuring that any medical problems are managed properly before pregnancy occurs
  • Ensuring proper prenatal medical after the discovery of a pregnancy. Also, it is important to any medications you are taking with your doctor to clarify whether there are any side effects that can cause birth defects.
  • Controlling diabetes, anemia, hypertension, seizures, and nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can help prevent some premature births and, as a result, some cases of cerebral palsy. (Nemours Network, 2011)
  • Use of ultrasound in early pregnancy
  • Eliminating the consumption of alcohol in order to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome,
  • Screening for and eliminating contact with cytomegalovirus and toxoplasmosis
Ultrasound in early pregnancy is used to detect fetal anomalies and multiple fetuses and determine gestational age. The prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome requires pre-pregnancy information and counseling. A safe level of drinking in pregnancy has not been determined. (Griffin, Fitch, Griffin, 2002).

Some possible postnatal prevention strategies include:

  • Never shaking the child (this can lead to shaken baby syndrome and brain damage)
  • Ensure that the infant is properly strapped into an infant car seat that is correctly installed
  • Monitor lead exposure in your house, as lead poisoning can lead to brain damage
  • Ensure the infant receives his or her immunizations on time (these protect against serious infections, some of which can cause brain damage resulting in CP) (Nemours Network, 2011)
  • Treating neonatal infections
  • Breastfeeding preterm infants
  • Phototherapy to reduce bilirubin (a reddish yellow bile pigment that is an intermediate product of the breakdown of hemoglobin in the liver. Too much bilirubin in the blood causes jaundice)

In addition to the items listed above, family planning, universal literacy, genetic counseling, parenting programs, and infant health education in the areas of infections, trauma, and sudden infant death syndrome also could help to lower the risk of Cerebral Palsy (Griffin, Fitch, Griffin, 2002).

Next: Teachers and Intervention
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