Important Signs Your Toddler Needs A Vision Screening

Health & Medical Blog

If your child is entering preschool, they are at the age where you can start to detect serious vision impairment with a professional screening. Up to 10 percent of preschool aged children have vision problems, and an ignored or neglected impairment can lead to a lifetime of vision complications along with other issues.

The vision screening that you get from a professional optometrist will be better than what your child gets at a pediatrician, and you'll want to have one completed at the preschool age. Here are a few signs you can look for if you are suspicious that your child may have a vision problem.

Lack of Focus or Attention Problems

If the child has a short attention span or doesn't like to focus on objects for too long, it may have nothing to do with behavior or interest. The problem could be that they can't see what you want them to focus on clearly. They may not be able to watch a movie, look at a story book, or use other electronic devices because they can't see clearly.

Educational Deficits

Is your child struggling to learn their shapes and letters? Do they have a problem counting objects or following patterns? These issues may have nothing to do with your child's intelligence, but instead your child can't see the shapes or figures clearly enough to distinguish the difference. You want to get the vision problem fixed so they don't have any further delays as they are preparing for grade school, and so they don't fall behind their peers.

Poor Coordination and Clumsiness

Kids are clumsy and develop at different paces, but vision could prevent them from participating in activities and having fun. If the child struggles to stack blocks, kick a ball, catch an object or climb stairs, they may have poor depth perception and blurred vision.

All of these different issues could be linked to separate developmental problems, but getting your child's vision screened is a step in the right direction to find out what is going on. You don't want your child to live without being able to see the amazing world around them, and you don't want them to feel different from their peers. Schedule an appointment with an optometrist, one like Fields Family Eye Care - Kimberly A Fields Od, to have a screening completed to see if your child has any problems that need immediate attention, or if there are things you have to work on.

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16 January 2015

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