PREVENTION OF DISABILITIES

ANSHITA SINGH (ASLP)

 INTRODUCTION

 The main focus of prevention in health care is to stop

health conditions from occurring (primary prevention).
However, prevention also involves early detection and
treatment to stop the progression of a health condition
(secondary prevention) and management to reduce the
consequences of an existing health condition (tertiary
prevention).
 CONT….

 According to WHO 1980 , three levels of prevention

are:
 Primary Prevention
 Secondary Prevention
 Tertiary Prevention
 PRIMARY PREVENTION

 Primary prevention may include: primary health care;

prenatal and postnatal care; education in nutrition;
immunization campaigns against communicable diseases;
measures to control endemic diseases; safety regulations;
programmes for the prevention of accidents in different
environments, including adaptation of workplaces to prevent
occupational injury and diseases; and prevention of disability
associated with pollution of the environment or armed
conflict It is estimated that, through better use of primary
prevention and health promotion, the global burden of disease
could be reduced by as much as 70% .
 CONT…

 Health care for people with disabilities usually

focuses on specialized medical care and rehabilitation.
 Just like health promotion, prevention requires the
involvement of many different sectors. Within the
health sector, primary health care plays an important
role and since CBR programmes are most closely linked
with primary health care, they can play a significant role
in promoting and supporting preventive health care for
people with disabilities.
 CONT….

 the phrase “prevention is better than cure” is one that

many people are familiar with and is the focus of
primary prevention. Primary prevention is directed at
avoidance and uses interventions that prevent health
conditions from occurring. These interventions are
mainly aimed at people (e.g. changing health
behaviours, immunization, nutrition) and the
environments in which they live (safe water supplies,
sanitation, good living and working conditions).
 SECONDARY PREVENTON

 Secondary prevention is the early detection and early

treatment of health conditions, with the aim of curing or
lessening their impacts. Examples of early detection
include mammograms to detect breast cancer and eye
examinations to detect cataracts; examples of early
treatment include treatment of trachoma with
antibiotics to prevent blindness, multidrug treatment of
leprosy to prevent disease progression and appropriate
handling of a fractured bone to promote proper healing
and prevention of deformity.
 TERTIARY PREVENTION

 Tertiary prevention aims to limit or reverse the impact

of already existing health conditions and impairments;
it includes rehabilitation services and interventions that
aim to prevent activity limitations and to promote
independence, participation and inclusion.
Precautions during Prenatal period

 This is the time period when the woman gets

pregnant and it continues till 36 weeks. Mother should
take care of herself & her baby. Precautions during
prenatal period-
 Avoid marriages in blood relations
 Mother’s age should be not less than18
 Take proper neutrino diet (full of iron, vitamin, protein)
supplemented with green leafy vegetables.
 Avoid use of alcohol/smoking/tobacco
 CONT…

 Avoid use of non-prescribed medicine

 Avoid any kind of mental & physical stress
 Take proper medication & treatment for chronic
diseases such as diabetes, cancer, high BP, tuberculosis
(T.B.)
 Go for a regular antenatal checkups
 Avoid strenuous exercise. Light exercising is
recommended to keep you active and your metabolism
working.
 CONT….

 Avoid hard physical work such as carrying heavy

loads, especially in fields, and other accident - prone
activities such as walking on slippery ground or
climbing stools and chairs.
 Avoid excessive x-rays
 Avoid use of street drugs such as heroine & cocaine
 Avoid exposure to illnesses like measles, mumps etc,
especially during the first 3 months of pregnancy.
 Avoid sexual contact with a person having venereal
disease.
 CONT….

 All women of the child bearing age need 0.4mg of folic

acid daily. It is also available in folic acid plus iron
tablets which should be taken for at least 3 months
during the third trimester when the risk of developing
iron deficiency anaemia is greatest. It is extremely
important that the women undertake adequate and
effective preventive measures during their pregnancy
and immediate postnatal period and also for their
children especially during the early childhood period, in
order to significantly reduce the incidence of
impairment and disabilities in them.

Precautions during Perinatal period

 This is time when the child takes birth & continued till 4-5 days
after birth. Here the focus is on those conditions which start from
labor time to birth of the child. Mother should be careful and
follow proper safety & alertness during this period
 Pre-mature – If the pregnancy is less than 36 weeks then you
should take care of baby more because their body is more prone
for the infections & they are underweight.
 Type & place of delivery-Delivery should be done in the
supervision of good doctors & nurses. Delivery at home should
be avoided. Normal delivery is good for mother as well as for
child.
 Visiting nursing home or hospitals for delivery then you can
do follow up or consult with doctors about your child’s health.
 CONT…..

 Neonatal jaundice- most of the time children are suffering from

jaundice after birth, that is known as neonatal jaundice. It is
present in two forms one is physiological and second is
pathological. Its treatment is phototherapy or sunlight and blood
transfusion.
Sometimes blood transfusion becomes harmful for child’s
development.
 Delayed cry- First cry of the baby is so important because this is
the first breath of the child in the environment. If it is delayed
then
the oxygen level reduces in the child’s body. it will affect the
child’s development.
 Low birth weight- It is an indicator of unhealthy child. You
should take care of your child, give him nutritional diet. It will
make his immunity system more strong.
Precautions during Postnatal period

 This is the time duration after birth. After pregnancy

mother’s responsibilities becomes double because before
pregnancy child was safe in mother’s uterus , but now
baby has to face environmental factors as
microorganism, accidents, excessive or loud noise and
many more. The mothers have to save their child’s
from-
 CONT….

 Head injuries due to instrumental or caesarean

delivery
 Physical trauma
 Mental trauma
 Chronic Infections as brain fever, ear infections
 Contagious diseases
 Allergies respiratory infections
 Excessive or loud noise
 Malnutrition
 CONT…

 If your child is suffering from any of above mentioned

things you should go for proper medical treatment
from your nearest government hospitals. Sometimes it
is found that these things give rise to serious medical
condition that will affect your child’s health and
development. Therefore be care full during the
period.
 Early Childhood Care

 Do not allow a child’s temperature to rise above 101 degree F

because of any reason. It can cause febrile seizures
 If a child gets a fit take him to doctor immediately.
 Every child should be immunized against infectious diseases
as per the recommended schedule of immunization.
 Do not allow a child to have too much contact with paint,
newsprint ink, lead etc. as they are toxic.
 Take precautions against head injury, and other accidents.
 CONT….

 Vitamin A deficiency and its consequences including night

blindness can be easily prevented through the use of
Vitamin A supplementation.
 Protect a child from Meningitis and Encephalitis by
providing
a hygienic environment which is free of overcrowding.
 Ensure that the child gets a well-balanced diet and clean
drinking water.
 Introduce additional foods of good quality and in sufficient
quantity when the child is 4 -6 months old.
 CONT…

 Common salt must be iodized as a precaution

against goiter and cretinism.
 Do not allow a child to use hairpins, matchsticks
and pencils, to remove wax from the ears.
 Use ear protectors to reduce the exposure to high
levels of noise, if children are living or working in a
noisy environment.
 Do not slap a child over the face as this may lead to
injury of the eardrum and consequent hearing loss
 REFRENCE

 Introduction to Hearing Impairment

 Vikaspedia
 Community-Based Rehabilitation: CBR Guidelines
(WHO)