There are so many things to worry about as a parent and the eye health of your baby will be one of them. However, understanding the potential eye problems your baby could be born with, or could develop, will help to ensure that your baby’s eyes are healthy and that they mature as they should.

In order to avoid any visual impairments, diagnosing any eye problems as early as possible is crucial. The types of problems that may arise could be congenital (i.e. hereditary) or they could develop after birth. At the first neonatal check, a baby’s eyes should be examined to identify any potential structural problems such as retinoblastoma, ptosis, corneal opacity and cataracts. Should anything be found, your child should be referred directly to a paediatric ophthalmologist.

If these aren’t diagnosed early enough and the right treatments aren’t provided, it could have long-term consequences. Despite increasing amounts of medical advancements with things such as laser eye surgery, early detection will lead to better prevention.

Congenital Eye Problems

There are a number of ways in which your baby could develop a congenital eye problem, with the most common cause being a genetic disorder. Diseases such as Marfan’s syndrome, albinism and anophthalmia are all types of genetic conditions that can be passed onto your children. Should you or your partner have a condition that affects the eyes, you should be extra vigilant for any signs in your baby.

Other causes of these types of problems include infections, the intrauterine effects of alcohol or drugs, and maternal diabetes. Defects to the globe of the eye, the eyelids, the cornea, the pupil and iris, the retina and the lens are all congenital problems that can occur in babies.

Problems that Occur After Birth

Babies can also develop eye problems after birth. This could be caused by something like conjunctivitis during the first month of their life (ophthalmia neonatorum). Or, it could be a condition like amblyopia, which can happen during a baby’s first 2 to 3 years and is caused by sensory deprivation during this critical retinal development stage.

Knowing the Warning Signs

Whether you’re concerned about your baby’s eye health or not, there are a number of signs you can look out for that may indicate underlying problems. Watch out for any signs that your baby is tearing excessively or if there is any irritation to the eye area as this could indicate a problem with the tear ducts or an eye infection.

Take note of how your baby reacts to the light because any sensitivity they demonstrate towards it may be indicative of high eye pressure. Monitor how your baby’s eyes move and be mindful of any signs that your baby’s muscles aren’t developing properly – e.g. one eye moving in a different direction to the other may point towards strabismus.

Your baby will receive eye tests at the start of their life as part of their routine check-ups but it’s vital that you continue these. As a child’s eyes rapidly develop, particularly during the first few years of their life, regular screenings are a must, especially if there are any known problems running in the family.

Sebastian Pearce is a Dad who has become knowledgeable on eyesight issues due to his young sons low vision. He wants to raise awareness with his articles and offer support to other parents experiencing similar issues.

Kids are smart enough to know that play time is more fun than school time. However, they are not experienced enough to know that learning is good in itself and can be fun too. If your kid has a tough time with school work, you’ll be happy to know that you can help them develop skills at home. Even better, since you’ll be playing cards, your child will be more willing to learn and have fun doing it.

Good Winner

Of course, all people like the feeling of winning and no one likes to lose. Yet it takes emotional intelligence and a great attitude to be a good winner. A good winner feels great about winning yet remains humble and considers the feelings of those who have lost. Moreover, it takes a special person to lose and see it as an opportunity to get over it and try again. Winning and losing at cards helps children become more emotionally intelligent, which is a skill they will need in and out of school for their entire lives.

Extraverted Player

There is nothing wrong with being an introvert. Plenty of healthy, smart, and successful people are introverts. However, it can be hard for child introverts to be more social, especially in school settings. When it comes to participating in class, learning to be more social can help kids gain a higher sense of self esteem, especially if they enjoy a subject and can supply the correct answers. Playing cards in a family setting helps kids become more socialized versus retreating to their rooms or hiding behind a phone or video game screen.

Computational Skills

Particular card games require computation. This is a great opportunity for your child to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers. To give them added practice, you can make them the ‘official’ scorer, which would require them to compute the scores for all players or teams of the game.

Increased Memory

The brain functions like a muscle; areas of the brain grow stronger with increased activation. A particular portion of the brain is responsible for short term memory. Card games, such as Memory, help children become better players as well as strengthen their long and short-term memory. If your child is a fan of Memory, find similar family card games online.

Boosted Confidence

Depending on a child’s natural abilities, some school work may come easy to them. Most of the work at school will pose certain levels of challenge, which can be stressful and test a child’s confidence. Confidence is built through experiences. Children feel better about themselves by doing things successfully as well as when they overcome mental obstacles. Playing card games boosts confidence as children learn how to play and get better.

Followed Instructions

Games have instructions just like schoolwork and tasks within the workplace. Children benefit from learning how to play by the rules and follow instructions. It requires diligence and discipline to learn the rules and play accordingly. Moreover, children can teach younger siblings and older family members how to play games, which strengthens social skills.

Dominic Hicks is raising 4 kids with his wife. He enjoys writing on family topics once the kids are tucked up in bed and he has 5 minutes to himself.

Every parent wants their kid to be smart. However, as child experts know, there is room (and even a need) for play time regarding a child’s social and cognitive growth. Toys and activities are a part of a healthy child’s development. The caveat is making a distinction between helpful toys and activities and those children can do without.

Books and Music

Reading is an incredible exercise for the brain. Kids will need to read all through their school years and starting early places them at an advantage. Moreover, school teachers are directed to create multi- sensory lessons, so listening to music is just as stimulating and helpful as reading books. Teach kids to read books and think about characters, plot, and action within. Similarly, introduce your children to different varieties of music that use a multitude of instruments and range of beats and tempo.

Dolls and Action Figures

On the surface, children may want to play with dolls because they are possessions, keepsakes that they can claim as their own. However, dolls and action figures help children understand and mimic the world around them. Dolls and figures are used to emulate human interactions and can be a great way to teach children valuable lessons related to ethics and emotional intelligence. Rather than command children or reprimand for misconduct, you can use dolls and figures to help them make the cognitive connection themselves.

Puzzles

As kids grow older and mature, they begin to understand the world around them and how objects interact. Physical puzzles help children develop motor skills as well as understand mathematical concepts. Moreover, solving puzzles requires critical thinking, and playing with them serves as opportune times to be introduced to advanced concepts and principles. Puzzles help your child prepare for the NNAT. The test evaluates your child’s ability to reason and problem solve.

Cooking

A cookbook and utensils are not usually considered toys yet cooking can help kids make cognitive connections. Cooking requires children to gather materials, combine them, and follow directions in order to produce an end product. Of course, they will need help and monitoring in using utensils and devices, yet the process is great for development. Moreover, you can teach children to eat healthy and turn them onto a hobby that they can enjoy throughout their lives.

Building Blocks

Building blocks help children develop motor skills and understand geometric concepts. Young children begin to understand principles such as balance and symmetry. When your child gets a bit older you can graduate their love of building blocks and help them build things such as small chairs, foot stools, etc. Who knows? You may be helping to pave the way for the world’s next leading engineer or architect.

Sports

Athleticism is a recognized intelligence that necessitates athletes manipulate their bodies and objects in space and time to achieve one or more goals. For example, a baseball player at the plate must learn to determine the speed and position of an oncoming ball within fractions of a second, which is just one aspect of the game that requires conditioning and agility too. Keep in mind that it is also important that kids have the proper equipment so as to avoid injuries, such as properly fitting youth baseball cleats and a helmet for when they are up to bat.

Courtney Nolan is a nurse who works at a children’s health clinic. She enjoys getting to know the families, and enjoys seeing kids grow up as younger brothers and sisters come along to her clinic.