Does your child need glasses?

Does your preschooler keep bumping into things? Or perhaps your elementary school aged child has trouble with reading? There may be more to it than meets the eye your child may not be clumsy or slow to learn, he may just need glasses. If you suspect your child has a vision problem, make sure you get an eye test. In the meantime, here are some signs that your kid could need glasses.

Squinting Squinting is a classic sign of needing glasses. A child may squint while trying to read a book or to take a closer look at something. Squinting can help someone who is farsighted to see better, for a few seconds. Perhaps that's why those pinhole glasses that are being advertised everywhere at the moment could serve a purpose, at least theoretically.

Moving closer If the thing the child is trying to look at isn't clear enough, she may simply move closer to the object. Common examples are moving closer to paper while writing, sitting close to the TV, or moving a book closer to the eyes. In some cases, this is just habits. In many, however, moving closer is a definite sign that a child needs glasses.

Tilting the head Have you ever seen a dog beg for food? They often tilt their head from one side to another. Children with a certain type of eye problems also do this. An eye muscle problem called strabismus could be to blame tilting temporarily makes the problem go away and improves vision.

Bumping into things Is everyone always commenting how clumsy your child is? Have you noticed that your child constantly trips over things, misses a glass or plate you offer so it falls, or similar incidents? Your child may just need glasses. Before you check for any other problems, get an eye test.