Table of Contents
What does a blind newborn look like?
One or both of your baby’s eyelids seem to be drooping. Your baby squints often. Your baby rubs her eyes often when she’s not sleepy. Your baby’s eyes seem sensitive to light.
What causes blindness at birth?
Blindness may be due to genetic mutations, birth defects, premature birth, nutritional deficiencies, infections, injuries, and other causes. Severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), cataracts, Vitamin A deficiency and refractive error are also causes.
What do I do if my baby is blind?
Here are a few ideas that might help.
- Talk to your baby as you walk toward her room.
- Continue to be loving and affectionate, even if she doesn’t respond the way you’d expect.
- Touch your baby before you pick her up.
- Show your baby things that you’re going to use on her body before you use them.
- Get creative.
What are the reasons for blindness at birth?
More than 60 percent of cases of blindness among infants are caused by inherited eye diseases such as congenital (present at birth) cataracts, congenital glaucoma, retinal degeneration, optic atrophy and eye malformations.
How can you prevent blindness in babies?
Prevent Blindness recommends a continuum of eye care for children that can include both vision screening and comprehensive eye exams. All children, even those with no signs of trouble, should have their eyes checked at regular intervals.
Should a child who is born blind feel bad about blindness?
A child who is born blind does not know what it is like to see. Until he or she is old enough to begin to understand how other people do things, blindness seems normal. Therefore, a small child will not feel bad about blindness until someone teaches him or her (directly or indirectly) to feel bad.
How can a blind child learn to interact with other people?
It is important that a blind child learn how to interact with people who are getting information visually. In one sense your child may borrow your eyes to read a story, learn about colors, identify a noise, and so forth. Sight is convenient and blind people rely on sighted people for certain things.
Can a blind child Borrow my Eyes to read?
In one sense your child may borrow your eyes to read a story, learn about colors, identify a noise, and so forth. Sight is convenient and blind people rely on sighted people for certain things. This is not bad, but good and proper. Blind children need to learn how eyesight works and how to interact with sighted people.
What does it mean to grow up as a blind child?
It’s a part of learning about blindness. But, too much reliance upon someone else’s sight deprives the child of skill and confidence. Thus, a blind child must learn how to balance trusting their blind techniques and understanding the uses of vision. It is part of growing up for a blind child.