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Now You See Me, Now You Don't?
Vision Screening for Preschoolers
By Carma Haley
Acting Out
Children who are experiencing vision problems may exhibit inappropriate behaviors in frustration, anger or fear. These behaviors may include defiance; outbursts of anger; throwing books, pencils or crayons; self-isolation or even signs of depression. As the behaviors are a result of a child's emotions, parents are encouraged to approach their children with love and concern in an attempt to discover if vision difficulty is the root cause. "If a parent becomes frustrated with the child in return, the situation can escalate," says Saimovici. "This should be avoided as it could mask or hide the reasons behind a child's behavior as it relates to vision difficulty."
"My son wouldn't even let me read to him," says Karen Winniski, a mother from Chicago, Ill. "My husband and I would tuck him into bed at night and ask what book he wanted to read. He would usually say he didn't want a story. If we did read to him, he would turn toward the wall and not even look at the pictures. At the age of 4, you would think he would still want us to read to him, but he didn't. I knew something had to be wrong."
Is There A Problem?
Usually, preschool staff will help in detecting a problem with a child's vision and offer screenings throughout the year. However, if a child does not attend preschool the detection of a potential vision problem is then left up to the parents. "Parents can be tricky about it without letting the child know they are 'testing' them," says Saimovici. "Asking a child to look at something across the room while sitting at the dinner table to see if he/she can find it or if they squint to see it is one way a parent can 'test' their child. If a child does look at books or can recognize colors or shapes, making a homemade eye chart can also offer clues to the parents as to whether or not a child may have a vision problem."
