Blindness
Ear, Eye & Head Conditions
FACTS:
- Blindness may occur before birth as a result of the eye structures not developing properly in the womb, or immediately after birth as a result of infection, or later in life as a result of diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, uncorrected crossed eyes or ptosis, eye injuries or infections.
TREATMENT:
- Newborns may pick up an infection during birth and show signs of eye discharge. They should be seen by a Doctor and treated with antibiotic ointment, which will prevent blindness.
- If a child has an eye discharge and possible infection, care must be taken not to spread the infection to the child’s other eye or to other children. Use of one corner of a washcloth to bath one eye and the other corner to wash the other eye may prevent spread of infection. Washcloths should not be shared with other children.
- Early treatment with antibiotics in eye infections will help prevent blindness from occurring.
- If a child is unable to see out of eye in infancy due to drooping or crossed eyes, that child may loose the ability to see even though the eye structure is not damaged as a result of the brain not receiving information from the during the first years of life.
- Early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, crossed eyes, drooping eyelids and cataracts that obstruct sight will prevent blindness in these children.
HELPFUL HINTS:
- Let a child smell and feel objects. The child is capable of learning about the world through their other senses.
- Talk to the child and let them know what you are doing. Describe the child’s action as they are doing them. Describe objects and what is happening around the child.
- Let the child explore.
- Different textures on clothing and blankets will provide the infant with stimulation as they use their sense of touch to explore. This is important for brain development.
- Playing with buttons and zippers on clothing teaches fine motor skills and independence.
- Music is important for brain development and children with poor sight will greatly benefit from hearing music daily.
- A child may need time in a new environment just to sit and listen.
- Let a child smell and feel objects. The child is capable of learning the world through their other senses.
- Sit the infant upright in a chair and give objects to hold. This also stimulates brain development.
