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healthy kids
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASICS
Ensuring Kids Have Visual Skills for Learning
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by Randy Schulman
t is back-to-school time, and parents are often thinking about school supplies, backpacks and fall clothing. One of the most important needs to consider for academic success is healthy vision. Our children’s eyes and how well they work are crucial to effective learning. More than 80 percent of our information comes in through the visual system and there are many
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Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties
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basic visual skills important for learning. These skills include clarity of eyesight, ease of shifting and maintaining focus, tracking eye movements, eye alignment, eye-hand coordination and visual perception. Visual perception includes memory, recognition, retention of information and comprehension. If a child does not have the skills necessary for the demands of their grade, they may struggle with learning, avoid near tasks, or exhibit behavioral problems. In fact, vision problems can cause some of the same signs and symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), like hyperactivity and distractibility. Most parents believe that the vision screening at the pediatrician’s office can assess if there is a vision problem. Unfortunately, the pediatric screening typically only tests distance visual acuity. Most of the learning takes place at near and important skills like focusing and eye teaming are not assessed. Only a handful of doctors specializing in children’s vision and learning perform all the tests necessary to determine if the child’s visual skills can meet the demands of the classroom. These doctors consider the age of the child, grade and type of school they are attending. For example, many schools implement a rigorous program from the early grades that may be above the development of the child’s visual system. As an example, efficient tracking skills are typically not fully developed in boys until nearly 8 years of age, yet children are asked to read in kindergarten. A thorough assessment of a child’s functional vision can determine if the child may have difficulties with reading, writing or even sports performance. Children want to succeed and do their work, but with a deficit in visual skills, the child may have to work harder to get assignments done, causing frustration and possibly even loss of interest in school. They may also experience headaches, fatigue, blinking, inattention or avoidance of near tasks. When a challenge is found, there are a number of treatment options for parents to consider. Sometimes, a low power plus prescription, with or without prism, can aid the child in reading or near tasks until
