Children’s vision issues can present themselves earlier on, perhaps earlier than one would imagine. About one in five Head Start preschoolers enter school with a vision impairment, meaning that symptoms and issues can begin early on. Infants and toddlers can even feel the effects of less than idea vision and in some extreme cases can even hinder essential developmental milestones from recognizing familiar faces to reaching for objects. School aged students with untreated vision issues can experience low grades, poor reading skills and comprehension, and can even contribute to learning disabilities.
Knowing is half the battle, and knowing when it’s time to make an appointment with the eye doctor is key to maintaining vision health. While symptoms may be tricky to spot, certain behaviors, especially in tandem, are a good indication of less than optimal vision. Teachers and guardians should look out for excessive head tilting, eye squinting, and to make note of frequent complaints of headaches and eye strain. In many situations, kids don’t even realize their vision is suffering so it’s up to us adults to remain vigilant and observe the signs.
Take a look at this infographic from Frames Direct for more on how to manage children’s vision health, the signs to look out for, and how to encourage positive habits at a younger age.
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