HOW TO PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR THEIR EYE EXAMINATION

Preparing young children for eye exams allows for a more positive experience for everyone involved. Talk to them about what to expect and practice at home.

A child’s vision is indisputably important as he or she grows and develops. When a youngster has vision troubles, the problem can stagnate learning or interfere with the educational environment. In these cases, the child has more obstacles in the schooling process, which can negatively impact his or her education experience. The hardest part about early detection of vision problems is that the child does not know anything different from what he or she has experienced. If the world has always been blurry, children will not know that this is important information to articulate. For this reason, regular eye appointments are important for healthy growth and learning.

When preparing a child for the optometrist, he or she might feel apprehensive about what they may experience. Playground stories may have children believing in false incidents or a high likelihood of malpractice. Before taking young ones into the doctor’s office, it is important to talk with them about what to expect. Tell them what the office will look like and how they might be called to a back room for the examination. Assure them that a parent or adult will be with them at every step of the way. This type of assurance preceding an appointment will help keep little ones calm as they step into the unknown.

Find out what will happen during the exam and then practice with the child. Depending on the age of the youngster and the reason for the check-up, the optometrist may perform a variety of tests. The doctor may shine a light in the eye, ask for visual identifications from a distance or make use of eye drops. It may help to practice such procedures at home. Practice with store bought saline eye drop solutions at home, so the child will know how it feels. Additionally, try visual identifications at home. Just like at in the exam, cover one eye and then the other.

Make sure children are awake and alert before checking into the office. This includes getting enough rest, but also having enough to eat. Hunger and fatigue greatly affect any person’s mood. When dealing with a new situation, a younger individual may have trouble juggling the various stresses. Therefore, make it as easy as possible for the children involved. If they are fed, rested and prepared, they are more likely to have a positive experience with the optometrist. Furthermore, children innately pick up on the moods of adults around them. If the parent or guardian is calm, the child will reflect this and be relaxed as well.

For more information on a pediatric optometristin El Cajon, visit this website www.chulavistaelcajonoptometry.com/pediatric-optometrist