Headaches and observations from her teacher were the tell-tale signs for Margaret to see a doctor, who diagnosed her with astigmatism when she was in pre-kindergarten.
Early detection of her condition helped the 4-year-old girl eventually become one of the highest-scoring students on state tests. Headaches are now a vague memory, and today, at age 18, she is getting ready for college.
“Taking her to the ophthalmologist was very important, for she also had myopia,” said her mother, Susana Alonzo. “Now, with the help of contact lenses and glasses that she wears at night, she reads voraciously and belongs to the IB program in her school.”
Getting a child’s vision tested for the first time depends on many factors. If there is a family history of eye cancer, congenital cataracts, glaucoma or any other condition of the eyes, the child must be taken directly to an ophthalmologist. In the case of premature children, they are tested automatically at the neonatal unit.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommend that pediatricians and family doctors perform early screening on children at the time of their vaccines.
“Pediatricians can see the eye reflex with the ophthalmoscope, check the position and make sure there is no external injury. Once children can identify figures and letters, the pediatrician tests them covering one eye and then the other. A difference in recognizing those figures is an indication to refer the child to the ophthalmologist,” said Dr. Roberto Warman, director of Miami Children’s Hospital’s Ophthalmology Division.
“Since some cannot identify the figures well, a photo screening has been designed in which special equipment, with photographic proofs, can detect differences in strength from one eye to the other and by their position. That way, they can know whether there is a case of amblyopia, better known as lazy eye.”
The main objective of early detection is to identify children with risks of developing conditions such as amblyopia, which could lead to permanent damage to their eyesight, according to the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Other problems that can be detected with early screening include hanging eyelid, strabismus, cataracts, glaucoma, myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other more serious conditions such as tumors or neurological disorders.
Dr. Warman said symptoms include constant teary eyes, misaligned eyes, a protuberance or a small ball in the eye, irritation and reddening, and an inability to focus or to follow objects with the eyes.
“If an eye with a white spot on the pupil comes out constantly in various photos, it could indicate serious medical problems such as tumors,” he said. “Likewise, if the child complains that he cannot see and after four hours still does not recover his eyesight, he must be taken to the doctor immediately.”
Other signs include difficulty reading or a tendency to get closer to read or watch television, diabetes, a tendency to close one eye, sensitivity to light or severe photophobia in one eye, which can be caused by a tumor, incipient glaucoma, the presence of a foreign object or cornea problems.
Finally, it is recommended that special eye protection be worn for some sports, especially for minors who practice baseball. This sport is the No. 1 cause of injuries in children 5 to 14 years old. The most incredible fact, experts say, is that 90 percent of injuries are totally preventable.
Preventive measures also can help with hearing problems.
Two to four of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or with hypoacusis, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Hence, the academy’s push for early screening. Success of any treatment depends on detection of the problem within the first month after birth.
Dr. Sandeep Davé, an otorhinolaryngologist at Miami Children’s Hospital, says that “high-volume television, late talking, recurring infections and recurring fluid are among the symptoms of hearing problems. Not reacting or not waking up to intense and unexpected sounds, not turning in the direction of a voice or not following or understanding instructions, speaking loudly or not using appropriate age-related language” are among the symptoms of hearing problems. Others include excessive serum, congenital malformations or genetic hearing loss.
Early detection of her condition helped the 4-year-old girl eventually become one of the highest-scoring students on state tests. Headaches are now a vague memory, and today, at age 18, she is getting ready for college.
“Taking her to the ophthalmologist was very important, for she also had myopia,” said her mother, Susana Alonzo. “Now, with the help of contact lenses and glasses that she wears at night, she reads voraciously and belongs to the IB program in her school.”
Getting a child’s vision tested for the first time depends on many factors. If there is a family history of eye cancer, congenital cataracts, glaucoma or any other condition of the eyes, the child must be taken directly to an ophthalmologist. In the case of premature children, they are tested automatically at the neonatal unit.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommend that pediatricians and family doctors perform early screening on children at the time of their vaccines.
“Pediatricians can see the eye reflex with the ophthalmoscope, check the position and make sure there is no external injury. Once children can identify figures and letters, the pediatrician tests them covering one eye and then the other. A difference in recognizing those figures is an indication to refer the child to the ophthalmologist,” said Dr. Roberto Warman, director of Miami Children’s Hospital’s Ophthalmology Division.
“Since some cannot identify the figures well, a photo screening has been designed in which special equipment, with photographic proofs, can detect differences in strength from one eye to the other and by their position. That way, they can know whether there is a case of amblyopia, better known as lazy eye.”
The main objective of early detection is to identify children with risks of developing conditions such as amblyopia, which could lead to permanent damage to their eyesight, according to the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Other problems that can be detected with early screening include hanging eyelid, strabismus, cataracts, glaucoma, myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other more serious conditions such as tumors or neurological disorders.
Dr. Warman said symptoms include constant teary eyes, misaligned eyes, a protuberance or a small ball in the eye, irritation and reddening, and an inability to focus or to follow objects with the eyes.
“If an eye with a white spot on the pupil comes out constantly in various photos, it could indicate serious medical problems such as tumors,” he said. “Likewise, if the child complains that he cannot see and after four hours still does not recover his eyesight, he must be taken to the doctor immediately.”
Other signs include difficulty reading or a tendency to get closer to read or watch television, diabetes, a tendency to close one eye, sensitivity to light or severe photophobia in one eye, which can be caused by a tumor, incipient glaucoma, the presence of a foreign object or cornea problems.
Finally, it is recommended that special eye protection be worn for some sports, especially for minors who practice baseball. This sport is the No. 1 cause of injuries in children 5 to 14 years old. The most incredible fact, experts say, is that 90 percent of injuries are totally preventable.
Preventive measures also can help with hearing problems.
Two to four of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or with hypoacusis, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Hence, the academy’s push for early screening. Success of any treatment depends on detection of the problem within the first month after birth.
Dr. Sandeep Davé, an otorhinolaryngologist at Miami Children’s Hospital, says that “high-volume television, late talking, recurring infections and recurring fluid are among the symptoms of hearing problems. Not reacting or not waking up to intense and unexpected sounds, not turning in the direction of a voice or not following or understanding instructions, speaking loudly or not using appropriate age-related language” are among the symptoms of hearing problems. Others include excessive serum, congenital malformations or genetic hearing loss.
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