About vision impairment, low vision and blindnessVision impairment can range from no vision – blindness – or very low vision to an inability to see particular colours. Show
Vision impairment can happen at any age. Some conditions might result in vision problems for only a short time, but most vision conditions in children stay the same throughout life. Other conditions get worse over time, resulting in poorer vision or blindness as children get older. What is low vision? What is blindness?
Causes of vision impairmentBabies might have vision impairment at birth. It can also happen later as a result of disease, injury or a medical condition. The most common causes of vision impairment are:
Early signs and symptoms of vision impairmentChildren with vision impairment might have typical-looking eyes. It might be something about a child’s behaviour or the way they use their eyes that makes you think there’s a problem with their vision. Most babies start to focus on faces and objects by 4-5 weeks of age. By about 6-8 weeks, most babies will start smiling at the familiar faces and things they see. But if a baby has vision impairment, you might notice they have trouble doing this. Here are some other signs that a baby has vision problems:
An older child might:
Diagnosis of vision impairmentGetting a diagnosis is the first step to the right intervention, the earlier the better. If you’re worried about your child’s vision, it’s a good idea to see a GP, paediatrician or optometrist to get your child’s eyes checked. The GP, paediatrician or optometrist can send you to a children’s eye specialist – a paediatric ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist will examine your child and do tests to work out what the problem is. If your doctor doesn’t think there’s a problem but you’re still worried, it’s OK to get a second opinion. If your child is old enough, you could ask them to do some drawings of common objects or people. You could take the drawings with you to show the doctors. This will give doctors an idea of how your child sees the world. Effects of vision impairmentVision impairment can affect many areas of children’s development, some of which you might not expect. For example, your child might have extra challenges with:
Severe vision loss or blindness can mean that some parts of your child’s development and learning will be slower than for other children. For example, you might notice that your child is slower in learning to roll over, crawl, walk, speak and be social with others. Your child’s ability to do all these things should come with time. Engaging your child to explore their environment using whatever vision they have – and linking their vision with their other senses – will help spark their curiosity about the world around them. Early intervention for children with vision impairmentEarly intervention is the best way to support your child’s development. Early intervention includes therapies, education and other supports that will help your child reach their full potential. Early intervention should also include helping you learn how to bond with your child and interact with them in ways that support their development. Children learn the most from the people who care for them and with whom they spend most of their time, so everyday bonding, play and communication with you can help your child a lot. There are several specialists who are trained to work specifically with children who have severe vision loss. These might include orthoptists, physiotherapists, orientation and mobility specialists, occupational therapists, counsellors and special education teachers. It’s good to see yourself as working in partnership with your child’s professionals. When you combine your deep knowledge of your child with the professionals’ expertise, you’re more likely to get the best outcomes for your child. Learning to read and write in Braille is important for developing your child’s literacy. And introducing Braille early might help to support your child’s learning. There are library services that offer free Braille books and resources – for example, the Vision Australia Feelix Library and the Braille House Library. Financial support for children with vision impairmentIf your child has a confirmed diagnosis of vision impairment, your child might be able to get support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS helps you get services and support in your community, and gives you funding for things like early intervention therapies, assistive technology or one-off items like guide dogs. Looking after yourself and your familyAlthough it’s easy to get caught up in looking after your child, it’s important to look after your own wellbeing too. If you take care of yourself, you’ll be better able to care for your child. Some agencies offer child and family counselling to help you work through the challenges and celebrate the triumphs that you’ll encounter in your life as the parent of a child with vision impairment. Talking to other parents can be a great way to get support. You can connect with other parents in similar situations by joining a face-to-face or online support group. If you have other children, they might have a range of feelings about having a sibling with disability. They need to feel that they’re just as important to you as your child with disability – that you care about them and what they’re going through. It’s important to talk with your other children, spend time with them, and find the right sibling support for them. Which strategy does the nurse use when communicating with a hearing impaired patient?Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally, without shouting or exaggerating mouth movements. Shouting distorts the sound of speech and may make speech reading more difficult. Say the person's name before beginning a conversation.
Which instruction would the nurse give a patient who has reduced taste sensation and is finding food less appealing?A patient has reduced taste sensation and is finding food less appealing. What does the nurse instruct the patient? Avoid blending or mixing foods.
When communicating with a patient who has expressive aphasia which strategy is priority for the nurse?When communicating with a patient who has expressive aphasia, the highest priority for the nurse is: 1 To ask open-ended questions. 2 To understand that the patient will be uncooperative.
Which proprioceptive change is observed in older adults quizlet?Increased difficulty with balance, decreased sensitivity to pain, inability to avoid obstacles, inability to determine the position of an object, and decreased sensitivity to pressure are symptoms of proprioceptive changes. It is common after the age of 60.
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