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WHAT IS A LEARNING DISABILITY?
A learning disability is when a child has a hard time learning new things. A learning-disabled child may walk or talk later than other children, have difficulty with and be toilet-trained at a later age and may need extra help learning to read and write. Many learning-disabled children look normal, but do not act or learn like other children.

I'M PREGNANT AND I WANT A HEALTHY BABY. WHAT DO I DO NOW?
If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant soon, you should know that there are certain steps you can take now to improve your baby's chances of developing a healthy brain and avoiding learning disabilities. While some learning disabilities are inherited and have no outside cause, many are not and the good news is you can help your unborn child in many ways by making healthy lifestyle choices.

WHAT STEPS CAN I TAKE?
1. As soon as you think you're pregnant, see a doctor. Prenatal care is essential for both your health and the baby's.

2. Don't smoke and if you do smoke, quit. It's a proven fact that cigarette smoking is dangerous to a developing fetus, causing low birth weight and a smaller baby means a smaller brain. Remember, when you smoke, your baby smokes, too!

3. Don't use alcohol. Don't drink if you're trying to conceive. Don't drink during your pregnancy. If after the baby is born you decide to breast feed, don't resume drinking until your baby is weaned off the breast. Alcohol is one of the largest avoidable causes of learning disabilities in children.

4. Don't use street drugs. There are no two ways about it-using meth, heroin, marijuana, crack cocaine, over-the-counter cough syrups and prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Percocet bought on the street MUST be strictly avoided.

5. Take prenatal vitamins. Your doctor can suggest a good one. Sometimes these pills are large and hard to swallow. If you find this a problem or just cannot afford your prenatal vitamins let your doctor know and he or she will find a substitute.

6. Get good exercise. This can be as simple as walking 10-15 minutes a day. Activity stretches your muscles, puts you in a better mood and keeps the blood flowing.

7. Eat a balanced diet. Consult your doctor if morning sickness is a problem and keeps you fron eating as you should. Be sure to drink plenty of water. Avoid caffiene and sugary drinks like soda pop. Limit sweets like cookies, cakes, candy.

7. Get adequate sleep and rest. Having a healthy baby depends on how you treat your body so be nice to yourself and your unborn baby by sleeping at least 7-8 hours at night and resting during the day if you feel tired.

WHO CAN HELP IF I THINK MY NEW BABY HAS A LEARNING DISABILITY?
If you're conerned that your baby may not be developing on schedule, please don't wait to bring your concerns to your pediatrician. If a learning disability is suspected your pediatrician can then refer you to the appropriate place to get help. There are many programs available and most of these programs are free. The earlier you get help for your baby, the better. Until age 2 a baby's brain is still developing and it is important that any needed therapy be started as soon as possible, so it's very important to get help now and don't wait to see if your baby will "grow out of it."

IS THIS ALL I CAN DO TO PREVENT LEARNING DISABILITIES?
There is more you can do. Keep informed on recent medical discoveries and share them with other women. Offer to volunteer with expectant mothers at a local free clinic. Blog and write internet articles about learning disabilities. Share your knowledge with the community. Together, there is much we can do to reduce and prevent learning disabilities.

Learn more about this author, MJ Guyton.
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