Blindness In Kids – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

I m a g e : S h u t t e r s t o c k

P l a y i n g a b l i n d f o l d game w i t h your k i d may b e fun, b u t that’s j u s t for a short p e r i o d of t i m e . Our e y e s are n o t just t h e windows t o our s o u l , they h e l p us s e e and u n d e r s t a n d the w o r l d that i s . They a r e truly o n e of t h e most m i r a c u l o u s creations w e are b l e s s e d with.

I t can b e a life changing e x p e r i e n c e when i t comes t o learning t o live w i t h o u t sight. A s a p a r e n t , you n e e d to a l w a y s assess y o u r child’s v i s u a l capabilities. I n the e v e n t that y o u r kid d o e s not s e e m to r e s p o n d to l i g h t and m o v i n g objects, i t could b e a s i g n of c h i l d h o o d blindness.

H a v i n g a k i d affected b y this v i s u a l impairment can b e a d i f f i c u l t experience, b u t as a parent, y o u are t h e one w h o needs t o be s t r o n g and p r o v i d e all t h e support a n d help t o your c h i l d . This c a n only b e done i f you u n d e r s t a n d the c o n d i t i o n properly. T h i n g s like w h y it o c c u r s , how c a n one d e t e c t it, a n d some w a y s to h a n d l e it b e t t e r can h e l p you p r o v i d e your c h i l d with t h e right k i n d of s u p p o r t and c a r e that h e needs.

C h i l d h o o d Blindness – An O v e r v i e w :

T h e eye i s one o f the m a n y parts o f the b o d y that i s carefully c o n s t r u c t e d using d i f f e r e n t delicate p a r t s . These i n c l u d e iris, c o r n e a , lens, r e t i n a and m a n y more, a l l of w h i c h play a n essential r o l e in p r o m o t i n g proper v i s i o n . All t h e s e parts n e e d to f u n c t i o n harmoniously w i t h each o t h e r for y o u to b e able t o see. A malfunctioning o f any o f these p a r t s can c a u s e partial o r total b l i n d n e s s or o t h e r visual c o n c e r n s .

A person w h o is v i s u a l l y impaired m a y have p r o b l e m s in b o t h the e y e s , or i n a s i n g l e eye.

C a u s e s Of B l i n d n e s s In C h i l d r e n :

T h e r e can b e various c a u s e s for t h i s condition. S o m e of t h e most c o m m o n l y known a r e :

A lot o f visual p r o b l e m s may d e v e l o p before b i r t h . In s o m e cases, c e r t a i n parts o f the e y e are n o t developed i n the w a y they s h o u l d , which c a u s e s vision p r o b l e m s .
I t has a l s o been f o u n d that a kid’s e y e s may l o o k fine, b u t the b r a i n may h a v e trouble p r o c e s s i n g the i n f o r m a t i o n that i s sent.
I n some c a s e s , the o p t i c nerve o f the e y e , which i s concerned w i t h sending p i c t u r e s to t h e brain, d o e s n ’ t develop c o r r e c t l y or h a s some p r o b l e m s in f u n c t i o n i n g properly. T h i s causes v i s i o n impairment.
B l i n d n e s s may b e genetic o r inherited. T h i s means t h a t if a particular m e m b e r of y o u r family i s visually i m p a i r e d your k i d too m a y have a risk o f developing t h e same d i s o r d e r .
B l i n d n e s s may a l s o occur d u e to c e r t a i n accidents w h e r e i n a f o r e i g n object m a y hurt t h e eye. T h i s is w h y it i s important t o protect t h e eye a s much a s possible.
C e r t a i n illnesses s u c h as d i a b e t e s may l e a d to c o m p l i c a t i o n s with t h e eyes ( d i a b e t i c retinopathy) w h i c h may c a u s e visual d i s t u r b a n c e s . Eye d i s e a s e s like c a t a r a c t s may a l s o cause p a r t i a l or c o m p l e t e vision.

Signs A n d Symptoms o f Blindness:

S i n c e your k i d can’t e x p r e s s and e x p l a i n his c o n c e r n s properly, i t can b e difficult t o detect a n d understand i f your k i d is a f f e c t e d by a n y visual p r o b l e m .
H e r e we h a v e listed s o m e of t h e common s i g n s of v i s u a l impairment y o u r kid m a y show i f he i s affected b y it.

P u p i l s are u n e q u a l in s i z e .
P u p i l s appear w h i t e instead o f black.
E y e s don’t m o v e when a n object o r face i s moving i n front o f it.
C r o s s e d eyes.
E y e s turn o u t or i n .
E y e s flutter f r o m side t o side o r up a n d down.
E y e s do n o t seem t o focus.
E y e s bulge o r bounce i n rhythmic m o v e m e n t s .
C l u m s y behavior s u c h as k n o c k i n g things o v e r or b u m p i n g into t h i n g s .
R e p e a t e d shutting o r covering o f one e y e .
A v o i d i n g tasks t h a t require g o o d vision.
F r e q u e n t squinting a n d blinking.
S i t t i n g too c l o s e to t h e TV, h o l d i n g books t o o close t o the f a c e .
F a c e crunching a n d eye r u b b i n g .

T r e a t m e n t For B l i n d n e s s In C h i l d r e n :

V i s u a l impairments a r e very c o m m o n among c h i l d r e n , and i t is e x t r e m e l y important t o detect t h e cause o f it at a n early s t a g e . This w i l l help t o assess t h e possibility o f a p r o p e r treatment o p t i o n .
H e r e are a few t h i n g s you s h o u l d keep i n mind:

M a k e sure y o u take a n appointment w i t h an o p h t h a l m o l o g i s t if y o u do n o t i c e any o f the a b o v e signs a n d symptoms a f f e c t i n g your k i d . Also r e m e m b e r to g e t a r o u t i n e check-up d o n e to e n s u r e proper p r o g r e s s and e y e health.
T h e doctor w i l l usually a s k you a b o u t the s i g n s and s y m p t o m s you m a y have n o t i c e d , and w i l l perform s e v e r a l eye t e s t s to d e t e c t the p r o b l e m .
I n certain e y e problems, w e a r i n g glasses o r contact l e n s e s may h e l p your k i d in s e e i n g better.
C e r t a i n eye p r o b l e m s can b e tackled b y performing a surgery. I n all c a s e s , treatment o f the e y e problem t o t a l l y depends o n the c a u s e .
I n some c a s e s , children m a y suffer f r o m vision p r o b l e m s due t o nutritional d e f i c i e n c i e s and f o l l o w i n g a h e a l t h y diet c o u l d help s o l v e the p r o b l e m .
C a t a r a c t surgeries a n d certain f o r m s of m e d i c a t i o n s and e y e drops c o u l d also b e a t r e a t m e n t option f o r some c h i l d r e n affected b y treatable f o r m s of v i s u a l impairment.

R a i s i n g A V i s u a l l y Impaired C h i l d :

P a r t i a l blindness m a y not b e a m a j o r concern f o r most p a r e n t s , and l a s e r surgeries a n d glasses m a y help r e s t o r e vision. I n case o f total b l i n d n e s s , the c o n d i t i o n is p r a c t i c a l l y untreatable a n d the c a u s e of c o n c e r n increases s i g n i f i c a n t l y .
A s a p a r e n t , you m a y need t o be s t r o n g and s u p p o r t your c h i l d through t h i s condition. I t is i m p o r t a n t to n o t e that a visually i m p a i r e d child d e v e l o p s correctly a n d has n o problems i n other a r e a s of life – h e just n e e d s a l i t t l e extra c a r e , attention a n d your s u p p o r t .

H e r e we h a v e listed d o w n some c o m m o n ways t o handle t h i s visual i m p a i r m e n t i n kids:

S u p p o r t your c h i l d through h i s tough t i m e s . Make h i m feel s t r o n g and c o n f i d e n t of h i m s e l f .
E n c o u r a g e him t o learn B r a i l l e . This i s a s y s t e m of l e t t e r i n g for v i s u a l l y impaired k i d s . Help h i m ace i t and g e t him s o m e good b o o k s to e n c o u r a g e his l e a r n i n g experience.
S o m e special c l a s s e s and l e a r n i n g schools f o r blind k i d s are b e l i e v e d to b e helpful. S o make s u r e you e n r o l l your k i d in t h e s e to h e l p him u n d e r s t a n d how t o cope u p with h i s situation a n d yield h i s best. Y o u should i d e a l l y attend t h e same t o o to u n d e r s t a n d and h e l p as r e q u i r e d .
E n c o u r a g e him t o excel i n whatever h e ’ s interested i n . Every k i d has a particular t a l e n t , and s o does y o u r s , so m a k e sure h e ’ s motivated a n d inspired enough.
5 . Keep i n touch w i t h the n e w technological a n d medical a d v a n c e m e n t s that m a y help y o u r kid g e t back h i s sight. W i t h new d e v i c e s coming u p , everything i s possible n o w .

W h i l e it c a n be a major b l o w initially t o learn a b o u t blindness o f your c h i l d , you n e e d to u n d e r s t a n d that y o u r child w i l l look u p to y o u for a l l the s u p p o r t and a s s i s t a n c e . Many p a r e n t s end u p feeling g u i l t y about t h e i r child’s w e a k sight, a n d this c a n lead y o u to p i t y your c h i l d .

R e m e m b e r , children w h o face v i s u a l challenge o r any k i n d of d i s a b i l i t y do n o t need y o u r pity. H e l p i n g them b y staying i n touch w i t h specific s u p p o r t groups a n d giving t h e m the i d e a l tools t o assist t h e i r condition i s all t h a t is n e e d e d . And o f course, l o t s of l o v e and q u a l i t y time i s what w i l l make life happier f o r them, a n d you!

W e would l i k e to k n o w more a b o u t your e x p e r i e n c e s in d e a l i n g with s u c h a s i t u a t i o n .

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