Blindness & Visual Impairment

Does Your Child Have a Visual Impairment? 

At some point in our lives it’s inevitable that we’ll end up having to squint to see things far away, wear reading glasses to finish a book, or have prescription lenses given to us by a doctor. With age comes the steady decline of many aspects of our health–and that’s normal!

However, for many children, blindness or visual impairments are problems they will have for their entire lifetime. Caring for a blind or visually impaired child can be uncharted territory for many parents.

If your child is blind or you suspect they have a visual impairment, contact Jeevam Therapy in Edison and Paramus, NJ today. Our skilled pediatric physical therapists are trained to help your child learn to navigate the world around them in a safe, healthy way.

Causes & Symptoms of Visual Impairment 

There are many kinds of visual impairments that can affect children and adults alike. The following list from Kids Health details some of the more common impairments in children, as well as related symptoms.

Congenital Blindness

Some children are born without sight. This condition can be caused by many different factors; it may be inherited, or the mother may transmit an infection to the baby during pregnancy.

Glaucoma

 Glaucoma is usually found in older adults, however babies can be born with this condition. Children and teenagers can also develop it as well. Symptoms in infants and children include eyes that appear cloudy or dull, excessive blinking, light sensitivity, or redness.

Cataracts

Cataracts are areas in part or all of the ocular lens that appear cloudy. Cataracts do not allow light to easily pass through the lens which causes vision loss. Although cataracts are typically found in the eyes of  elderly people, babies can be born with cataracts as well. Symptoms include cloudy or blurry vision, eyes that do not appear to be in alignment, and uncontrollable eye movement.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia is categorized by decreased vision caused by a lack of use in one eye during early childhood development. Certain visual impairments will cause a child’s eyes to send different messages to the brain. An example of this is the right eye focusing better than the left. This causes the brain to suppress images from the weaker eye, slowly down vision development. This condition has also been coined as a “lazy eye.”

How Pediatric Physical Therapy Can Help Your Child

Children with vision impairments or blindness can greatly benefit from visiting a pediatric physical therapist at Jeevam Therapy in Edison and Paramus, NJ that specializes in these conditions. 

Your child’s physical therapist will be able to work with them to improve their posture, gait, and balance. All of these aspects need to be in alignment in order for your child to move and function effectively without depending entirely on their eyesight.

 A physical therapist will also evaluate your child’s level of vision, as well as their strength, coordination, orientation, overall mobility, and medical history. This will allow him or her to create a customized treatment plan that will help your child learn how to use their remaining vision to navigate more efficiently. 

Physical therapy will also include measurements regarding your child’s sensory awareness as well. There are many nonvisual methods available that your child can be taught so that he or she can complete as many normal tasks as possible without much assistance.

Our therapists here at Jeevam Therapy will also teach you how you can continue at home therapy with your child so that progress doesn’t slow down once you leave our office!

Contact Jeevam TherapyToday

You don’t have to struggle to help your child adjust to the world around them on your own. We’re here to help! If you have a child struggling with blindness or a visual impairment, contact Jeevam Therapy in Edison and Paramus, NJ today to schedule a consultation.