Introduction to Children with Exceptionalities · LibreTexts
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2.1: Prevention
Opening the book…
There is an old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”Some developmental disorders can be prevented, starting even prior to conception. Both mother and father should be in good health, genetically compatible, not taking drugs, not under excessive stress, etc. During pregnancy, the mother must continue to ensure good health and adequate prenatal care. The mother should also continue to avoid nicotine, alcohol and other drugs. Whenever possible, the mother should avoid pollution, stress and negative environments.
Studies have shown that a baby in utero knows whether they are wanted and can anticipate harmful hormones. If a mother smokes while pregnant, the baby learns to anticipate the poisons from the nicotine before the mother even takes the first puff. The baby contracts its stomach muscles, closing off the blood flow from the mother as much as possible. When the baby has limited blood flow, they limit the amount of poison that pollutes their system; however, this action also limits the food supply. Babies who are born to mothers who smoke are often born at a low birth weight. The same can be applied to babies whose mothers use other harmful substances. The baby cannot filter ALL poisons out, however, which can lead to birth defects and developmental delays. Immediately following birth, infants are tested with the APGAR (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration) test, the PKU (phenylketonuria) blood test, for iron levels, etc. If a mother has a sexually transmitted or other disease (i.e. syphilis, AIDS, etc.), birth defects may occur during the birth process; these cause horrific issues later in life which could be prevented if the medical team knows about them in time to take precautions during the birth.
When one disability goes undiagnosed or untreated, it quite often leads to other issues. For example, if a child has dyslexia, reading is difficult; this spreads across the board to impact learning of every other subject. Another example... remember the childhood song of “Your hip- bone is connected to your leg bone...”? It is true! If a child has a leg issue which is not treated or accommodated for, the child may learn to walk unevenly; this may throw off the child’s hips, posture, balance, spine alignment, and more. If one leg is shorter than the other, a simple accommodation might be a lift in the child’s shoe to even them out and allow all other alignment issues to be avoided. Without accommodation, however, one little issue may grow into many larger issues. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and can save years of damage and treatment. Recognition of this has led to federal programs to provide:
pre-natal care and nutrition to expectant mothers (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – WIC), and
nutritional support for babies and young children (WIC).
It has also led to the:
“First Five” initiative, which provides support services to families promoting the education and development of children from birth to 5 years (Every Student Succeeds Act – ESSA).
Additionally:
children may qualify for immunizations, vaccines, medical care, etc. through state, federal (Vaccines for Children – VFC) and private insurance.
These programs are all intended to help children stay healthy and prevent diseases that can cause secondary disabilities.
Reflect and Apply
Consider the information presented in this section to help prevent some developmental disabilities in children. What cautions are provided for expectant parents? What programs have been established to help prevent disabilities in children?
✏️ Write a short reflection (5–7 sentences) or discuss your ideas with a classmate or small group. Be ready to share one insight about how public laws and/or programs can help prevent specific diseases or disabilities
2.1: Prevention is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.
There is an old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Some developmental disorders can be prevented, starting even prior to conception. Both mother and father should be in good health, genetically compatible, not taking drugs, not under excessive stress, etc. During pregnancy, the mother must continue to ensure good health and adequate prenatal care. The mother should also continue to avoid nicotine, alcohol and other drugs. Whenever possible, the mother should avoid pollution, stress and negative environments.
When one disability goes undiagnosed or untreated, it quite often leads to other issues. For example, if a child has dyslexia, reading is difficult; this spreads across the board to impact learning of every other subject. Another example... remember the childhood song of “Your hip- bone is connected to your leg bone...”? It is true! If a child has a leg issue which is not treated or accommodated for, the child may learn to walk unevenly; this may throw off the child’s hips, posture, balance, spine alignment, and more. If one leg is shorter than the other, a simple accommodation might be a lift in the child’s shoe to even them out and allow all other alignment issues to be avoided. Without accommodation, however, one little issue may grow into many larger issues. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and can save years of damage and treatment. Recognition of this has led to federal programs to provide: