Healthy Eyes and Ears for Kids

We experience the world through our 5 senses. Vision and hearing are the two most important as this is also how we communicate with those around us, how we participate in life, and how we learn.

Problems with these senses can greatly impact a child's school performance and overall well-being. Additionally, problems related to vision and hearing can increase the risk of accidents and may indicate underlying health conditions. Early detection and intervention are key in addressing these concerns before they escalate. Ensuring your child wears protective gear like mouthguards, ear protection, and glasses can help maintain their ocular, and auditory health.

Healthy eyes

Did you know that vision plays a crucial role in childhood learning and development?

Studies indicate that 80% of a child's learning is done through their eyes, and that one in four school-age children may have an undetected vision issue. Since children often do not realize they are struggling to see clearly, they may not mention it to their parents or caregivers.

Unfortunately, there are no obvious signs or symptoms of a vision problem in children. However, early detection and treatment are key in correcting and preventing permanent vision loss, as vision is essential for learning, playing, and overall growth. You can help your child by:

• having your children screened at regular intervals; doctors recommend screening at 6 months old, 3 years old, and once a year after that.

• talking with your child about their vision to find out if there is anything unusual

• making sure you and your children keep eyes clean by washing the area around them with cool water. This is very important if the kids have been swimming in rivers or water that may have bacteria in it.

• calling Project HEAVEN or your community health clinic if you have any concerns

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Healthy ears

Hearing is a beautiful sense. It is how your child hears your voice, it helps us to sing in the choir and hear the sounds of the world around us. There are lots of reasons why kids might have poor hearing, from simple obstruction (like ear wax) to ear infections or other functional problems in the body.

Problems with hearing can lead adults to treat a child differently, think they are being disobedient and often times punish them for what appears to be rude behaviour when really the child just can't hear. You can help your child to keep their ears healthy by:

• limiting their exposure to loud noise. This means turning down the speakers at functions and home.

• keeping foreign objects out of their ears. Do not use cotton swabs on young children as this can damage their ear drums.

• keeping their ears clean with regular washing around the area.

• calling Project HEAVEN or your community health clinic if you have any concerns