August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
My older daughter, Makayla, started out as typical as they come. Running and jumping, laughing and crying just like her friends. When she was four, we noticed that she was putting her face very close to the page when she was looking at books.
As kindergarten grew close, she was writing with huge letters. At her well child exam in January, her pediatrician dismissed my concerns because she was a “young one.” Her birthday is in August and that made her at the tail end of the age spectrum for school in Washington state. The preschool teacher in me saw a kid who was not up to par for handwriting skills.
Thankfully, I had been prodded by the visiting vision therapist to take my younger daughter in for an exam with a developmental optometrist. It was the May before Makayla was to start kindergarten so I went ahead and made an appointment for both girls. It couldn’t hurt, I felt. The worst that could happen is she would confirm the pediatrician’s comments.
I am so glad I gave in to the nagging gut feeling. Makayla has correctable vision. Her eyeglasses made a world of difference. It didn’t take long for her to begin writing at grade level. Making that appointment was worth every penny we have spent on lost and broken glasses since then.
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Photo Courtesy Astacia Carter
I got my first pair of glasses when I was five, too – just before I started kindergarten. They were red plastic, and I loved them.
Welcome to 5MFSN, Astacia; it’s great to meet you!
This is a topic I have been.. thinking about and nelgecting for my kids…
How, do you find a skilled,flexible professional to check out your child’s eyes?
Where do you start?
at an eye glass store?
or at an eye Dr?
or at ANY place that sells glasses?
How do you explain the visit before you go so that your child is able to behave appropiately- instead of like a cave man riding a motorcycle!
I guess I just turned this comment into a ton of Questions…
I have myself..never been to the eye Dr.– and so I haven’t a clue what is involved!
I also have a question because Hunter fell into the should be checked out sometime category wehn they had vision screenings at school but am curious if a developmental optometrist is able to see if vision correction is needed without a verbal response from the child. I’m not really worried about his vision at this time but figure might as well get it checked while he is still on Medicaid
My daughter had what looked like a lazy eye. It was noticeable since about 3 months. When she was about 1 year old my son had to see a developmental optometrist and while we were there he said her eyes just looked like that because they were so big. When she was 4 I took her to another eye doctor and turns out she had something that I can’t pronounce and she needed vision therapy. He said we caught it in time before she would need surgery.
wow i wish i knew this earlier!
have been meaning to take my kids to the childrens optometrist!
found this one the other day
http://www.laubmanandpank.com.au/childrens-eyecare.html
heard that they’re pretty good and reasonably priced
has anyone had any experience with them before?