Timely, just discussing eyeglasses and wearing of same over on Down With Cataracts. A little different situation, of course, and probably TMI, but here's some snips --
Re: [downwithcataracts] Was Could be worse -- now wearing glasses
I would agree with Susan. Brian’s glasses cost well over $500. Getting a good fit that are as light as possible and don’t slide down the nose is a difficult and expensive challenge.
Lori
Re: [downwithcataracts] Was Could be worse -- now wearing glasses
I think the difference between the kids who are successful with eye glasses and those who are not - may involve many factors. Joe has been wearing bifocals successfully for about 4 months now. It was not easy to get to this point - the successful glasses cost over $800 - we went to a very good optometrist who cared about our son's situation. Previously we had glasses flushed down the toilet - thrown out of moving vehicles etc. So this tells me that this has more to do with the eyeglasses than with the kid. (Although some kids do have extreme sensory issues - Joe was one of those kids and still is to some extent.)
Susan
Was Could be worse -- now wearing glasses
Keep up the good work, Trish.
As Lori pointed out, some kids figure out they can see better with their glasses. And then some kids never seem to care. Charlie still tosses his glasses when he feels like it.
Lots of advice around about getting kids, including very little kids, to wear their eyeglasses.
from
www.earlyinterventionsupport.com/development/visual/children-wearing-glasses.aspxGet Your Child to Wear Glasses
Strategies to Get Your Child to Wear Glasses
• Involve your child in selecting eyewear (frames). If they have a say in the style they will be more inclined to wear them.
• Make sure the frames are fitted properly and are comfortable for your child. No one wants to wear an uncomfortable pair of glasses.
• Explain to your child the benefits of wearing glasses.
• Be positive (and stay positive) about the glasses. If your child sees that you are not thrilled with them, neither will he or she.
• Be a good role model. If you have glasses wear them.
• Read stories with characters that wear glasses. (Some examples include: Where Are Your Glasses? by Rhonda Fischer, Luna and the Big Blur by Shirley Day, Princess Peepers by Pam Calvert and the Arthur series by Marc Brown)
• Start with short intervals of time, and wearing them during an enjoyable activity. Children that are nearsighted might be motivated to wear their glasses during their favorite cartoon as TV is a good distracter and the glasses will make the TV image clearer.
• Use a timer and gradually increase the amount of time
• Be persistent, do not give in
from
www.webmd.com/eye-health/eyeglasses-infants-childrenEyeglasses for Infants and Children
Having a successful visit to the eye doctor is only half the battle of improving your child's sight. Convincing your child to wear their prescription glasses is the other and quite possibly most difficult. Here are some suggestions to help you find the right eyeglasses for kids, and to help your child adjust to wearing them every day.
• Make sure your child's eyeglass frames fit. Your frames should fit properly, without pinching the ears or nose, or weighing down the face. Check points of contact periodically to make sure that there is no skin irritation.
• Make sure the eyeglass prescription is correct. If your child is looking over the eyeglasses or complains that he or she cannot see with them, the prescription may be incorrect. An optician or eye doctor will be able to determine the optical accuracy of your child's eyeglass prescription.
• Start gradually. Start your child wearing eyeglasses in only small amounts of time, gradually increasing the length of time.
• Make them routine. Putting eyeglasses on and taking them off should be part of their daily routine. Encourage them to put them on in the morning when they dress and taken them off at night before they go to bed.
• Offer positive reinforcement. Be sure to use positive reinforcement when the child does wear the eyeglasses.
from
www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/54How will I ever get my child to wear glasses?
That is a question most parents ask, especially when their child is an infant or toddler. The best answer is that most young children who really need glasses will wear their glasses without a problem (happily) because they do make a difference in their vision. Initially, some children may show some resistance to wearing their glasses, but it is necessary for parents to demonstrate a positive attitude. Toddlers often may wear the glasses only when they are in a good mood and reject them (and everything else) when they are not. Getting a good frame fit by an optician who is experienced in pediatric eyewear is also of great importance. The frame should be very comfortable with the eye centered in the middle of the lens. The frame should look like it fits the child now — not one that he/she will grow into in a year. Lenses made of a material called polycarbonate will provide the best protection for your child because this lens material is shatterproof. Many children’s frames have soft, comfort-cables that fit around the ears.
from
achildseyes.com/WearGlasses.htmlHOW DO I MAKE MY CHILD WEAR HIS OR HER GLASSES?
Excuse me while I laugh. First of all, there is no making a child do anything! Having a child for this long must have convinced you of that. Obviously... you have to trick him into it.
I'm going to break this up into different age categories but keep in mind every child is vastly different from another. Many of these suggestions will fail miserably with your child. But these have worked with one or two children I know, so keep your chin up. Remember the goal here is to help a child's vision to develop normally and this requires consistency in wearing his glasses.
Little little guys (infant to 2 years): Remember we can't make a child do anything, so let's allow them to appreciate good vision. The best way to get these young children to wear their glasses is to simply put their glasses on and distract them: put on their glasses, hand them a toy. Or put on their glasses and start making faces at them. Most children in this age category will quickly associate clear vison with their glasses. All we have to do is give them time. Don't be tempted to put a strap on the child's glasses at this age to hold them. A poorly adjusted strap will make the glasses very uncomfortable and leave large red impressions on the child's nose from the nose pads. You know, your child can just as readily develop negative associations with glasses as well as positive ones. Don't make yourself or the glasses your child's enemy. If you have a child at this age that needs glasses, I encourage you to be patient and your child will choose to wear his glasses because he sees better with them on.
Not quite so little little guys (2yrs - Preschool): If you have a child this age, certainly you believe me when I say that you can't make your child do anything. I recommend with kids that as soon as you find out that your child will need glasses that you begin to acclimate your child to glasses in general.
Start by showing your child that you wear glasses (if you do). Then begin to point out family members and close friends that wear glasses. Don't forget cartoon characters and book characters that wear glasses, perhaps read a book about glasses with your child. Encourage your child to note specific differences in glasses like Uncle Albert's glasses are square and Grandma's glasses are round. Point out that Grandma wears her glasses to see things that she couldn't see without them. Try to emphasize that glasses help you to see things that you could not see without them. Do not talk about your child wearing glasses yet, first we want your child to feel that wearing glasses is something that many people do.
Once you feel that glasses are not so strange to your child, he or she may be ready to learn about their own need for glasses. Talk about what kind of glasses your child may want and where you might keep them at bedtime or when he or she is taking a bath. Talk about how you and your child could clean your glasses together. These things will encourage your child to take an active part in developing normal vision.
A child this age is often weary of the unknown and fearful of something different. The more you do to allay these fears the better compliance you will get from your child.
L M N-tary School Ages: This group of kids are often excited to wear glasses and will many times fail their eye exam on purpose to get glasses. Don't worry, most doctors are on to them and can't be fooled. However it only takes one comment from a classmate to really put a dent in your child's ego. Try to create some excitement for them by really pumping up some items on the glasses. Find out what makes your child tick...maybe your son is really into Nike or Tommy Hilfiger. Maybe your daughter likes Barbie or Nickelodeon. This is where many brand names really help out. Don't you worry, though, with kid's glasses the brand names doesn't necessarily translate to a higher price tag. Disney frames and Fisher Price and many others are quite reasonable. Accessorizing the glasses with a cool magic case or hologram case can help. Sport bands eyeglass cords can help also. These are often small dollar amounts but can keep wearing glasses fun and cool. Remember you can always give them something new for their glasses as a Birthday or Holiday gift also.
Older kids: These kids really want to blend in and their old pink glasses they had in the fifth grade are just not going to work any longer. Give your child most of the input into deciding which pair they will wear. This will put the burden on them to wear the glasses they have chosen. If all else fails they will probably need them for the driver's test and will have to give up
from
www.bellaonline.com/articles/art54721.aspChildren with Special Needs Site
Pamela Wilson
BellaOnline's Children with Special Needs Editor
Wearing Glasses in Early Childhood
Helping young children learn to wear glasses can be an adventure that strains the limits of a parent's patience, creativity, and bank account. While many offices of pediatric opthamologists and optometrists have knowledgeable support staff, families of young children with a similar diagnosis can be valuable resources.
Children often respond well to rewards for using their glasses, seeing other family members wear glasses frames, and having 'refrigerator rules' that state when glasses must be worn. There are charming children's books, videos and DVDs that feature characters who wear glasses, and many craft stores sell doll glasses that may fit a child's bear or other stuffed animal or 'action figure.' Local or internet support groups may have lending libraries or answers to families' most frequently asked questions that can be reassuring and quite helpful.
Babies as young as a few months who have crossed eyes and extreme farsightedness need to wear glasses all the time, to straighten out the 'lazy' eye. Some babies and young children must learn to tolerate daily 'patching' of one eye for hours at a time.
Some babies have one eye that is extremely out of focus due to nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, and need to wear glasses so that the weak eye makes connections with the brain during infancy, to avoid complete loss of vision in the out of focus eye.
Vision problems in babies and young children may be missed by family doctors and optometrists who have not had special training in childhood eye conditions. A late diagnosis can be heartbreaking for families.
Pediatric ophthalmologists and support staff at their offices may have brochures or catalogs that they will share with parents who have questions about a particular diagnosis or vision problem.
Several companies make eyeglass frames in special sizes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Some children need special pads for the bridge of the nose, stems that wrap around the back of their ears, or straps that attach to the stems around the back of the head, to keep glasses on during normal play activities. Great progress has been made in recent years to create lenses that are lighter and thinner.
Although teaching a child to wear a pair of glasses can be a frustrating and expensive adventure, it is well worth the investment of time and effort to assure the best possible vision as they grow.
Many parents have been inspired to write articles about their child's experiences, to alert other families to the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, as well as to give good advice about how to persuade the most reluctant child to wear them.
Remember that proper fit and comfort are very important for children and they also may need a few days of practice before they learn how to see through the new lenses. Many children with perfect vision are fascinated by magnifying glasses ~ remember to take snapshots and brag about how wonderful life is since your child started wearing eyeglasses. It's a beautiful world.
Browse at your local bookstore, public library, or online retailer for stories about children who wear glasses, eye patches, or have vision problems, like _Children with Vision Impairments - A Guide for Parents_, or Working with Visually Impaired Young Students - A Curriculum Guide for 3 to 5 Year Olds
Dr Margaret Woodhouse - Special Needs Optometry, Down Syndrome Vision Clinic
Vision Testing and Eyeglass Fitting (Spectacles)
Accommodation and refractive error in children with Down syndrome: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies
Development of refractive error and strabismus in children with Down syndrome
Ocular and visual defects amongst people with intellectual disabilities participating in Special Olympics
Acuity measurements in adult subjects using a preferential looking test
Heart defects and ocular anomalies in children with Down’s syndrome
Publications
Down Syndrome Eye Clinic and Research Unit - Cardiff University, Wales
Current and Past Research
Information for Parents, Professionals and Teachers
Eye Terms and Links to Down Syndrome Vision Sites
Bifocals for Children with Down Syndrome
Frames specially formatted to fit children with Down syndrome:
Superior Precision Eyewear for Children who are Special (SPECS)
specs4us.comFit it Right, See it Bright campaign
tinyurl.com/EyeGlsDownSyn Information pack to help those with Down syndrome achieve better experiences with fitting and wearing glasses:
Before you have an eyetest
tinyurl.com/B4EyeTstDownSynPrescriptions Options – single lens vs. bi-focal
For parents
For Eye-Care Practitioner
Frame Fitting – modifications
Tips on encouraging children to wear their glasses
Helpful hints on good glasses care
Glossary of Eye Terms
Helpful Links
Some babies and young children with Down syndrome have cataracts
Cataracts and Down Syndrome
Yahoo Group: Down with Cataracts
tinyurl.com/DScataracts from
littlefoureyes.com/2009/03/02/just-starting-out/Getting the glasses to stay on
Many places will tell you that once your child realizes that they see better with their glasses, they’ll be much more likely to leave them on, and even ask for them first thing in the morning. And that’s true, but the trick is getting through that initial stage when they don’t want these funny things sitting on their face. Every child is different, some will take to their glasses immediately, while others fight tooth and nail for months. While there are a lot of strategies to get your child to leave their glasses on, the key seems to be to stay positive (which is easier said than done) and consistent about keeping them on (ok, this is also easier said than done). You’ll also want to have activities on hand when you put those glasses on. Boredom and glasses do not mix!
• Check out the Collected Wisdom section on getting your kids to wear glasses. (It’s a collection of strategies that have worked for the readers of this blog).
And, didn't know this until today, looks like a book on this topic came out a year or so ago,
www.willmychildactuallyweartheseglasses.com/Will My Child Actually Wear These Glasses?
Katheryn Dabbs Schramm, an expert and recognized authority on children's eyewear, brings easily understood answers to questions posed by parents faced with putting glasses on their child. In her newest book, Will My Child Actually Wear These Glasses? Ms. Schramm uses stories of parent's struggles and achievements to reinforce her underlying message— the critical importance of children receiving professional eye care and wearing glasses when prescribed.
In Will My Child Actually Wear These Glasses? Katheryn explains optical terms and techniques in a straight-forward, easily understood manner. She offers advice on frame and lens selection and details the technique of Persuasion used to teach any aged child, regardless of mental or physical limitation, to successfully wear glasses. Infants, toddlers, children with Down syndrome or Facial Difference, those who are hearing impaired, even rambunctious two-year olds, all can be taught to wear glasses successfully using these time-honored methods. After reading Will My Child Actually Wear These Glasses? parents will answer this question with a resounding, "Yes!"
Seems a bit pricey at $19.95 but got two positive comments on Amazon.
Good luck to you too,
Bob
On Nov 9, 2011, at 10:59 AM, trisha ignacio wrote:
Good luck with Charlie, Bob. Don't really have much to contribute since Grace is still in the early stages of patching. And I'm proud to tell you that we've been really good and diligent about it. Now if I can only find a way to get her to like wearing her glasses
Keep us posted on Charlie!
Trish
Keep us posted on Charlie!
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