3 Signs That Your Toddler May Have A Vision Problem
Do you have a toddler? If so, you probably know how important this age is for the child's development. During these formative years, your child develops his or her motor skills, language abilities, and memory and brain functions. This is also a time when the senses develop, so it's important for any hearing or vision problems to be corrected as quickly as possible. There are some signs of vision problems that are easy to notice, such as squinting, a sensitivity to light, or sitting too close to the television. However, not all symptoms are so obvious. Here are three possible signs of vision problems. If you notice these issues, you may want to schedule an eye exam:
Frequent headaches. Headaches can be caused by a number of different issues, including sinus problems or even high levels of stress. However, you may also want to consider vision problems as a cause for your child's head pains. Your child may be suffering from farsightedness. Objects that are far way may appear to be blurry. Your child could be focusing intently on those items in an attempt to see them clearly. That kind of intense focus on faraway items can lead to headaches. If you can't identify any other cause for the headaches, an eye exam could be in order.
An aversion to coloring, puzzles, or sports. Does your child claim that they don't like certain activities, like coloring or playing sports? That could very well be true. However, there could be other issues. They may avoid coloring because they can't recognize the colors. They may resist sports that involve eye-hand coordination because they can't see a ball as it approaches. Of course, you'll want to talk to your child to see if you can uncover any deeper reasons for resisting these activities. However, if you notice this kind of behavior along with squinting or other eye trouble symptoms, you may want to see an eye doctor.
Short attention span. It's normal for many toddlers and young children to have trouble paying attention for long periods of time. However, if your child's attention span seems extremely short, then you may want to consider whether eye problems are leading to his or her attention problems. Your child may be losing interest in activities because he or she can't follow them visually. Of course, the issue could have other causes, like attention deficit disorder or it could simply be natural for their age. However, it may be worth getting an eye exam.
For more information, schedule an eye exam with a local optometrist (such as one from Wear Eyewear). He or she can check your child's vision and see if there's a deeper issue that needs to be corrected.
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