Primary Prevention:

Primary prevention should have the following goals: 

i)  Ascertaining at the risk population and  the high risk situations where stressful life events are the precipitating factors. 

ii)  Providing services to strengthen coping resources of  these groups  to prevent development of  symptoms. 

Concrete Measures in Prevention 

1)  Individual  Centred Measures 

Child care and child-rearing measures include: 

• Antenatal care  to mother and  educating her  regarding the adverse effects of  irradiation, drugs and prematurity. 
• Ensuring timely  and efficient  obstetrical assistance  to guard against the ill effects of  anoxia, injury at birth. 
• Liberalization of laws regarding termination of  pregnancy, when it is unwanted. 
• Counselling of  the parents of  physically and mentally handicapped children, with  particular reference to  the nature of  defects. The parents need  to accept and emotionally support the child and be satisfied with limited goals. 
• Programmes to enrich child mother relationship by  stressing the importance of warm accepting intimate relationship, and avoiding the prolonged separation of  mother and child, are essential. 

Programmes Oriented to the Chid in the School 

These programmes are essential, as the school plays an  important role in the childs life next to  the family,  in moulding the child's personality on healthy lines. The quality of  the child's cognitive achievement has an enormous effect on his capacity to adapt  to  the  rapidly changing world. Early signs of learning difficulties or behavioural abnormalities can be detected, and timely corrective measures can  be taken  through  professional help. The  teachers should be taught to identify the symptoms of  abnormal conduct and behaviour in the children and  refer cases to appropriate agencies.