In infants, the eyes often squint quite nicely. And there is nothing wrong with that - at first glance. Not only that - it touches the parents. However, several months pass, the child grows, and the eyes continue to squint, which cannot but alert adults. With suspicions of strabismus, parents often turn to ophthalmologists. This is the most popular reason for an unscheduled visit to a pediatric optometrist. You will learn about the causes and treatment of strabismus in children by reading this article.

What it is?

The disease, which is popularly called strabismus, in medicine has rather complicated names - strabismus or heterotropia. This is a pathology of the organs of vision, in which the visual axes cannot be directed towards the object in question. Eyes with differently located corneas cannot be focused at the same spatial point.

Quite often, strabismus is found in newborns and children in the first six months of life. However, in most cases, such strabismus is physiological in nature and resolves on its own after a few months. Often the disease is first detected at the age of 2.5-3 years., because at this time, work is actively formed in children visual analyzers.

Normally, the visual axes should be parallel. Both eyes should look at the same point. With strabismus, an incorrect picture is formed, and the child's brain gradually "gets used" to perceive the image from only one eye, the axis of which is not curved. If you do not provide the child with timely medical care, the other eye will begin to lose visual acuity.

Often strabismus accompanies eye diseases. More often it occurs as a concomitant diagnosis with farsightedness or astigmatism. Rarely - with myopia.

Strabismus is not only external disadvantage, a cosmetic defect, the disease affects the work of all the constituent organs of vision and the visual center.

Causes

In newborns (especially premature) children, strabismus is due to weakness eye muscles, optic nerve. Sometimes such a defect is almost imperceptible, and sometimes it catches the eye immediately. With the active growth of all departments of visual analyzers, physiological strabismus disappears. This usually happens closer to six months or a little later.

This does not mean that the parents of six month old baby who squints with his eyes, you need to sound the alarm and run to the doctors. Of course, it is worth visiting a doctor, but only to make sure that the child has no other pathologies of vision. If the baby sees well, then strabismus continues to be considered physiological. until they reach one year of age.

Strabismus, which persists to some extent after a year, is not considered the norm, and it is referred to as pathological disorders. There can be many causes of pathological strabismus:

• genetic predisposition. If close relatives of the child or his parents have strabismus or had it in childhood.
• Other diseases of the organs of vision. In this case, strabismus acts as an additional complication.
• neurological diseases. In this case, we can talk about dysfunction in the activity of the brain in general and the subcortex in particular.
• Skull injuries, including birth. Usually such strabismus occurs as a result of acquired problems from the central nervous system.
• congenital factors. These include intrauterine malformations of the organs of vision, which could have formed as a result of infectious diseases of the mother or genetic "mistakes", as well as the consequences of fetal hypoxia.
• negative external influence. These reasons include severe stress, fright, psychological trauma as well as poisoning toxic substances, chemicals or severely transferred acute infectious diseases(measles, diphtheria and others).

There are no universal reasons that can explain the occurrence of pathology in a particular child. Usually it is a complex various factors both hereditary and individual.

That is why the occurrence of strabismus in each particular child is considered by the doctor on an individual basis. The treatment of this disease is also purely individual.

Symptoms and signs

Signs of strabismus may be visible to the naked eye, or they may be hidden. One eye or both can mow. The eyes can converge to the nose or be "floating". In children with a wide bridge of the nose, parents may suspect strabismus, but in reality there may not be a pathology, just anatomical features the structures of the child's face will create such an illusion. As they grow (during the first year of life), this phenomenon disappears.

The symptoms of strabismus usually look like this:

1. in bright light, the child begins to “mow” more;
2. the baby is unable to focus on the subject so that the pupils move synchronously and are in the same position in relation to the corners of the eyes;
3. to examine the object with a squinting eye, the child has to turn his head at an unusual angle;
4. while crawling and walking, the baby stumbles upon objects - especially if they are located on the side of the squinting eye.

Children older than one year may complain of headache, frequent fatigue. Vision with strabismus does not allow you to see the picture clearly, it can be blurry or double.

Children with strabismus often have hypersensitivity to the light.

Strabismus can be congenital or acquired. Doctors talk about congenital pathology when clear signs ailments are visible immediately after the birth of the crumbs (or appear within the first six months).

Usually the pathology develops horizontally. If you mentally draw a straight line between the pupils through the bridge of the nose, then the mechanism for the occurrence of such a violation of visual function becomes clear. If the child's eyes seem to strive towards each other along this straight line, this indicates convergent strabismus. If they aspire to different sides in a straight line, then this is a divergent strabismus.

Less commonly, pathology develops vertically. In this case, one or both organs of vision may deviate up or down. Such a vertical "care" up is called hypertropia, and down - hypotropia.

monocular

If only one eye deviates from the normal visual axis, then they speak of a monocular disorder. With it, the vision of the squinting eye is in most cases reduced, and sometimes the eye generally ceases to participate in the process of looking and recognizing visual images. The brain "reads" information from only one healthy eye, and the second "turns off" as unnecessary.

Such a pathology is quite difficult to treat, and it is not always possible to restore the function of the affected eye. However, it is almost always possible to return the eye itself to its normal position, thereby eliminating cosmetic defect.

alternating

Alternating strabismus is a diagnosis that is made if both eyes mow, but not at the same time, but in turn. Either the right or the left organ of vision can change the axis both horizontally and vertically, but the angle and the amount of deviation from the straight line are always approximately the same. This condition is easier to treat., since both eyes still take part in the process of perceiving images of the surrounding world, albeit alternately, which means that their functions are not lost.

Paralytic

Depending on the reasons that triggered the process of strabismus formation, there are two main types of strabismus: paralytic and friendly. With paralytic, as the name implies, paralysis of one or more muscles responsible for the mobility of the eyes occurs. Immobility can be the result of disorders of the brain, nervous activity.

friendly

Concomitant strabismus is the simplest and most common form of pathology, which is usually characteristic of childhood. With it, the eyeballs retain a full or almost full range of motion, there are no signs of paralysis and paresis, both eyes see and are actively involved, the image of the child is not blurry and does not double. The squinting eye may see somewhat worse.

Concomitant strabismus can be accommodative and non-accommodative, as well as partial. Accommodative pathology usually appears in early childhood- up to a year or in 2-3 years. It is usually associated with high or significant myopia, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Such a “childish” eye disorder is usually treated quite simply - by wearing glasses prescribed by a doctor and sessions of hardware therapy.

Partial or non-accommodative visual impairment also appears in early age. However, myopia, farsightedness will not be the main and only reasons for the development of strabismus of these types. Surgical methods are often chosen for treatment.

Strabismus in children is constant and inconsistent. An unstable divergent is often found, for example, in infants, and it does not cause great concern among specialists. A constant divergent is almost always the cause congenital anomalies development of visual analyzers and requires serious treatment.

Hidden

Hidden strabismus is quite difficult to recognize. With him, the child sees normally, with two eyes that are located quite correctly and do not deviate anywhere. But as soon as one eye is “turned off” from the perception of visual images (for example, closed with a hand), it immediately begins to “float away” horizontally (to the right or left of the bridge of the nose) or vertically (up and down). To determine such a pathology, special ophthalmological techniques and devices are required.

Imaginary strabismus occurs due to quite normal features eye development in a child. If the optical axis and the visual line do not match, and this mismatch is measured by a fairly large angle, then a slight false strabismus may occur. With it, vision is not disturbed, both eyes see, the image is not distorted.

Imaginary strabismus does not need correction and treatment at all. False strabismus can include cases when a child begins to mow a little due to some structural features of not only the eyes, but also the face - for example, due to the size of the orbits, the shape of the eyes or the wide bridge of the nose .

It is possible to correct such a defect of vision in almost all cases, the main thing is that parents should contact an ophthalmologist in a timely manner, without delaying a visit to the doctor. If after six months or a year the strabismus in the baby has not gone away, treatment should be started.

There is no need to be afraid of therapy, in most cases it is possible to do without surgery. Surgical intervention assigned only when all other methods have failed.

Modern medicine offers many ways to correct strabismus. This and hardware treatment, and physiotherapy, and special gymnastics to strengthen the oculomotor muscles and the optic nerve.

The treatment schedule is prescribed strictly individually - taking into account all the circumstances and reasons that led to the development of strabismus. O however, each treatment plan includes key points and the stages that will need to be completed in order for the correction of the defect of the organs of vision to be most successful:

• First stage. Includes treatment for amblyopia. The goal at this stage is to improve vision, increase its sharpness, and bring the values ​​of sharpness to normal. To do this, they usually use the method of wearing glasses with a sealed lens. In order not to frighten the child with such a medical device, you can use special children's stickers (occlusions). At the same time, several courses of hardware treatment are prescribed.

Strabismus itself does not go away at this stage, but vision usually improves significantly.

• Second phase. Includes procedures that are aimed at restoring synchrony, communication between the two eyes. For this use special devices and devices, as well as corrective computer programs.
• Third stage. It consists in restoring normal muscle balance between the organs of vision. At this stage, surgical treatment can be prescribed if the muscle damage is sufficiently pronounced. However, in children's practice, it is often possible to get by with methods that parents can practice at home - gymnastics, exercises for the eyes and procedures that physiotherapy rooms in polyclinics can offer.
• Fourth stage. At the final stage of treatment, doctors will try to do everything possible to fully restore the child's stereoscopic vision. At this stage, as a rule, the eyes are already symmetrical, occupy the correct position, vision can be improved, the child is able to see clearly without glasses.

Based on this sequence, the doctor will individually select a program for correction.

After 2-3 years of treatment according to the prescribed scheme, the doctor will be able to conclude whether the baby has been cured or whether a surgical operation is indicated.

More details about some modern methods treatment of strabismus can be read below.

Hardware

Hardware treatment accompanies almost all stages of strabismus treatment, from the first, aimed at improving vision, and ending with the last - the development of stereoscopic vision. To correct the problem, there is a fairly large list of devices on which the child can practice in a clinic or at home - if parents have the opportunity to buy such equipment:

• Apparatus "Amblyocor". Used to improve vision. It is a monitor and a system of sensors that record nerve impulses during the operation of the organs of vision. The child is just watching a movie or a cartoon, and the sensors make up a complete picture of what is happening inside his visual analyzers. Special video programs allow you to send the “correct” impulses to the brain and restore visual function at the finest (nervous) level.
• Synoptofor apparatus. This is an ophthalmic apparatus that allows the child to view parts of pictures (both two-dimensional and three-dimensional) and combine them. This is necessary for the development of binocular vision. Classes on such an apparatus train the muscles of the eyes well. For each eye, the child receives only parts of the image, attempts to combine them will be effective correction with strabismus at one of the final stages of treatment.

• Amblipanorama. This is a simulator with which you can begin to treat strabismus even in infants, because no effort is required on the part of the child. It is enough for him to look at a disc with blinding fields, wearing glasses with corrective lenses prescribed by a doctor, and try to examine objects. From time to time, the so-called light of the retina will occur. The trainer is very helpful initial stage treatment of strabismus.
• Apparatus "Brook". This apparatus can be of great help at the stage of training the oculomotor muscles and learning to control accommodation. The child will have to follow the eyes of the approaching and receding figures, as well as make various eye movements, as the points of light will flash in various directions of the field.

Hardware treatment can be carried out both in the clinic and at home.

Usually, at the initial stage, a child is prescribed 3-4 courses, each of which includes at least 10 lessons. At the subsequent stages of treatment of strabismus, the duration and expediency of courses of hardware treatment are determined solely by the doctor.

Due to the emergence of a large number of private clinics and ophthalmological offices that offer paid hardware treatment - however, the child is practically not examined, there have been many negative reviews about such treatment. Parents claim that the procedures and training did not help the child.

It's in Once again proves that any therapy should be prescribed by the attending physician. If he sees that the degree and nature of eye damage are such that hardware treatment is indispensable, he will definitely choose other methods for the child.

Eye gymnastics and classes

In some cases, with a slight strabismus of non-paralytic origin special exercises help at the stage of strengthening the oculomotor muscles. This is a treatment that does not require large expenses, but requires mandatory and strict adherence to the principle of systematic training.

Gymnastics with a child is best done in daytime, in daylight. Exercises are best done with glasses. Gymnastics should become daily, it is advisable to repeat a set of exercises with a child 2-4 times a day. The duration of each lesson is from 15 to 20 minutes.

It is impossible to explain the essence of gymnastics to the smallest patients, and therefore it is recommended to simply play with them - moving balls, bright cubes and other objects in front of them, tying one or the other eye.

For older children, the use of an occlusion or eye patch is only advisable if the strabismus is monocular. Children over 3 years old are invited to look for differences in pictures every day. Today, there are many such tasks on the Internet that parents can use on a color printer and offer their child. For starters, it is recommended to take simple pictures with a small number of differences, but gradually the complexity of the puzzle should increase.

It is useful for children of kindergarten age with strabismus to decide every day maze puzzles. These are drawings. The kid is invited to take a pencil and lead the bunny to the carrot, the dog to the booth or the pirate to the ship. Such pictures can also be downloaded from the Internet and.

Gymnastics for the eyes in the treatment of strabismus is very useful at the stage of formation of stereoscopic vision. To do this, you can use ready-made programs compiled by Professor Shvedov or Doctor of Psychology, non-traditional healer Norbekov. However, you should never choose a method on your own. Incorrectly chosen and used exercises can lead to vision loss.

Any gymnastics should be discussed with a doctor.

Many exercises that are suitable for a particular child, the ophthalmologist will show and teach them to do.

Surgical method

It is necessary to resort to the help of surgeons when conservative treatment failed when there is a need to restore the normal position of the eye, at least cosmetically, as well as at the stage of treatment, when there is a need to strengthen the muscles responsible for eye movements.

There are not so many intervention options for strabismus: surgically or enhance a weak and poorly holding eyeball muscle, or relax it if it stably fixes the eye in the wrong position.

Today, most of these operations are performed using laser systems. This is a bloodless and gentle method that allows you to leave the hospital ward the very next day and go home to a familiar and understandable environment for the child.

Small children are operated on under general anesthesia.

Older boys and girls - under local anesthesia. The most effective surgical intervention is considered at the age of 4-6 years; at this age, correction using surgical techniques provides the best results.

At rehabilitation period children are prohibited from swimming (for a month). The ban on other sports also applies for almost the same time. After the operation for several weeks, you can not rub your eyes with your hands, wash your face with water, the quality and purity of which are highly questionable.

After such an operation, the child will be able to return to the children's team (to kindergarten or school) only 2-3 weeks after release. During the crescent, you will have to carefully follow all the prescriptions and prescriptions of the doctor, including daily instillation of drops with antibiotics or other anti-inflammatory eye remedies into the eyes.

Prevention

Preventive measures that will help protect the child from strabismus should not be postponed until later. They should begin on the same day that the child was brought home from the maternity hospital. You need to do the following:

• You should make sure that the room where the baby will live is well lit, that it has enough artificial lighting for the evening.
• Do not hang toys in a crib or stroller too close to the baby's face. The distance to the eyes should be at least 40-50 cm. Another big parental mistake that often leads to the development of strabismus is a single bright toy suspended in front of the child in the center. It is best to hang two toys - on the right and on the left, so that the baby can switch his gaze from one to the other, thereby training the oculomotor muscles.
• Small toys are not suitable for babies, not only because they can choke on them. He will definitely try to examine them, and for this he will have to strongly reduce his eyes to the bridge of his nose, bend low over the toy or bring it too close to his face. For the eyes, such children's experiments are not useful in any way.
• Too early learning, writing and reading (up to 4 years) can also lead to the development of strabismus, since the unformed visual apparatus is very tired during activities that require maximum concentration and concentration.
• If a child has the flu, scarlet fever, or another infection, do not engage him in reading, drawing, or cross-stitching. During such illnesses, the risk of complications from the most various organs and systems of the human body.

• In the diet of the child must be present foods and vitamins necessary for the formation normal vision. To do this, choose products and vitamin complexes, which contain a large number of vitamins A, B1 and B2, as well as PP, C, and E.
• You should be attentive to the fears and experiences of the little man, because psychological factor is far from the last among the causes of the development of pathology. It is very important that the baby grows up in a friendly atmosphere so that parents can protect him from all frightening factors. Avoid too sudden movements near a small child.
• Children should severely limit the time spent on the computer and watching TV, as well as ensure that they do not use gadgets uncontrollably - especially when traveling by bus or in a car.
• If there is a genetic predisposition to strabismus, the child should be shown to the ophthalmologist more often, visiting the doctor's office not only during scheduled appointments (at 1, 6 and 12 months), but also in the intervals between these periods - to make sure that the pathological process has not started .

Read more about strabismus in the next issue of Dr. Komarovsky's program.

In society, there are two well-established points of view about strabismus: the first implies that it is not treated at all, and the second - that it goes away by itself without the participation of a doctor. Both opinions are fundamentally wrong - what earlier parents turn to a specialist, the faster and more successfully the baby will be cured of this ailment. Strabismus in a newborn child is not only a cosmetic defect. It affects mental and mental development.

When does strabismus go away in newborns? What to do, and which doctor to contact if the child's eyes began to squint? Is it possible to cure the disease completely?

Why do babies squint their eyes?

Strabismus, or strabismus, is a disorder of the eye muscles, in which the child is unable to focus on an object with two eyes. Normally, both eyes, left and right, move symmetrically. With strabismus, the central axis is shifted, the pupils look in different directions. At the same time, the brain is not able to combine what they see different eyes images into one.

In newborns, strabismus is common - 2 out of 100 children suffer from it. Each parent can independently identify the pathology - strabismus is noticeable to the naked eye. Some children with this condition are already born with one or two slanting eyes.

Strabismus in newborns can form in the womb or at birth and occurs for the following reasons:

• consequences of difficult childbirth;
• infectious diseases mothers during pregnancy;
• mother's use of certain medications or drugs;
• genetic diseases, such as Down syndrome;
• hereditary predisposition;
• congenital malformations of the structure of the eye;
• the birth of a child prematurely;
• hydrocephalus.

There are a number adverse factors, due to which strabismus occurs in the first days of a baby's life

In the course of life, strabismus is formed for the following reasons:

• visual impairment, farsightedness and myopia - the child tries to focus his eyes on an object and strains his eyes very much;
• diseases and anomalies of the muscles of the eye;
• inflammation of the visual structures;
• consequences of an infectious disease (measles, scarlet fever, influenza);
• eye damage, traumatic brain injury;
• stress and strong psycho-emotional states;
• strong visual loads;
• pathology of the nervous system.

Types and symptoms of strabismus

By the time of occurrence, strabismus is divided into congenital (occurs infrequently) and acquired (formed by 1-3 years of a child's life). Strabismus also happens:

• permanent is the most frequent view, it is diagnosed in 75-80% of cases;
• periodic - occurs in certain situations, for example, during illness or stress.

Periodic strabismus over time sometimes turns into permanent form. If a child squints one eye - this is monolateral strabismus, if both squint - alternating.

Pupils can diverge in different directions:

• converging to the nose - esotropia;
• diverging to the temples - exotropia;
• vertical deviation - up or down;
• mixed type.

In addition, pathology is true and imaginary. A newborn baby is simply not yet able to focus his eyes, while he perceives the entire visual picture - this is an imaginary strabismus. With true strabismus, the picture doubles or is distorted.

Symptoms inherent in strabismus:

• the child tilts his head and squints when looking at or trying to focus on an object;
• the baby does not perceive the depth of space, when walking it can stumble upon something;
• fuzzy, blurry image, bifurcation of objects;
• pain in the head and eyes;
• dizziness;
• the child cannot look at the light.

With strabismus, the baby often squints and it is difficult for him to look at bright light.

Some of these signs are always present. Others appear with strong stressful situations, fatigue or illness.

Diagnosis of pathology

As a rule, there are no problems with the diagnosis, since the defect is quite noticeable. Strabismus is diagnosed based on a visual assessment by an ophthalmologist, who will determine why the baby has one or both eyes slanted:

• Already at the first visit, at 3 months, the doctor during ophthalmoscopy will be able to determine visual impairment and measure the angle of deviation of the image on the pupil.
• Skiascopy will help to find out how the eye refracts light rays, and whether there are functional disorders. By 6 months, the signs of strabismus should be gone.
• An eye-covering test reveals latent strabismus. It is carried out at the age of 1 year. Close one eye, and ask the child to follow the object with the other. Deviation to the side indicates the presence of strabismus.
• At 3 years old, a special color test. It will help to establish whether there are violations of binocular vision.
• Examination with a special apparatus - a synoptophore. By influencing the baby's eyes, the angle of deviation of the pupil from a healthy position is measured.

The ophthalmologist diagnoses strabismus during a visual examination of the babyStrabismus correction

Treatment depends on the cause of the strabismus and the extent of the lesion. visual organ. If necessary, a pediatric neurologist will be included in the therapy. If the pathology is serious, it will be treated in the hospital. In other cases, outpatient and home treatment is provided.

Treatment of strabismus should be started immediately, since vision suffers significantly with the development of the disease. What kind of therapy is suitable for a particular child, only the doctor decides.

Treatment methods that are used to correct strabismus:

• An occluder is a special flap that is put on a healthy eye (with unilateral strabismus) or both in turn (with bilateral strabismus). With increasing load, the diseased organ begins to see better.
• Wearing special glasses - when the cause is visual impairment (farsightedness, myopia or astigmatism), wearing glasses completely eliminates this defect.
• Special eye drops. They temporarily impair the visual function of the healthy eye, forcing the diseased eye to work hard.
• Amblyocor is a device that helps brain neurons to correctly interpret the picture, eliminates the "lazy eye" syndrome.
• Synoptophore - trains the eyes and restores binocular vision.

With strabismus, exercises for the eyes on the synoptophore are effective

• Amblipanorama is a device that improves visual acuity.
• Eye exercises. They eliminate strabismus at the initial stage with a small lesion of the visual organ and strengthen the muscles of the eye.
• Surgical intervention. It is carried out for children older than 3 years and is indicated in cases where the conservative treatment described above does not work. For babies, safe mild anesthesia is used. The surgeon will adjust the eye muscles so that they work normally.

The prognosis is favorable with timely treatment and the fulfillment of all the specialist's prescriptions - children stop mowing with both one and both eyes. Visual function in most cases can be restored, the main thing is not to start the disease.

When does strabismus go away in babies?

The visual system of the baby after birth and up to 3-4 years is unstable, since it is at the stage of formation. Her pathologies can be provoked by seemingly ordinary things, for example, watching TV, playing games. mobile phone or a toy hanging too low in the cradle. That is why at this age the prevention of strabismus should be given special attention.

All babies up to 2-3 months old cannot yet focus on an object, so a slight deviation at this age is not scary and is a variant of the norm. By 3-6 months, this phenomenon disappears.

However, it is not worth waiting for the strabismus in a newborn to pass - it is better to play it safe and consult a specialist for advice.

True strabismus develops at 2-3 years of age, when teamwork eye. It can be diagnosed by the incorrect tilt of the child's head and his wandering gaze. However, in some cases, strabismus converging to the bridge of the nose can resolve on its own, even if it occurs in children older than 2 years.

Prevention

In order for a newborn and an older child not to develop strabismus, you need to:

• visit regularly during pregnancy women's consultation and pass all the necessary research;
• mother should not take medicines not intended for pregnant women, and even more so drink alcohol or use drugs;
• for correct and timely diagnosis, you need to regularly take the baby to a pediatric ophthalmologist;
• you can’t hang bright toys above the crib - the baby will focus on one point;
• rattles should be placed at arm's length of the child;
• you need to start watching television programs no earlier than 3 years old, and play and study on a computer - no earlier than 8 years old;
• attention should be paid to the posture of the child, to teach him to sit correctly, with a straight back;
• in the family you need to create a favorable psychological climate- avoid quarrels and conflicts, do not expose the baby to stress.

Allocate the following types strabismus in children: strabismus in newborns, imaginary, hidden and true strabismus.

Strabismus in newborns

It occurs due to low visual acuity and the lack of the baby's ability to fix the object with both eyes (binocular vision).

Remember that in a newborn, the eye begins to function only after birth. The small size of the structures, the physiological features of the formation and analysis of images cause strabismus in infants.

By 2-3 months, the baby is able to recognize close people who spend a sufficient amount of time with him. It is likely that the recognition process in this case is due to the first attempt to combine information from all the senses, since visual acuity is still low.

By 4-5 months, when the child begins to actively and for a long time follow the object of interest to him, strabismus in infants gradually decreases and disappears.

Unlike newborns, in children over 6 months old, the first attempts to fix an object with two eyes begin to appear, and, consequently, the ability to see in three dimensions. The brain merges the received images from the eyes into one picture, which makes it possible to speak of binocular vision. It is believed that when strabismus completely disappears in newborns, the eye begins to fully function.

If, after 6 months, strabismus does not go away, but, on the contrary, begins to grow, then you should contact an ophthalmologist.

To correct strabismus in children 4-5 months old, it is recommended to use mobiles, bright large toys, following the movements of which the child begins to try to fix himself on the object as long as possible.

Imaginary strabismus

Imaginary strabismus is a variant of the norm. It is associated with asymmetrically located eye sockets, features of the facial skull, the presence of a one-sided skin fold in the corner of the eyes (epicanthus), as well as individual characteristics ratio of the optical and visual axis of the eye. Visual functions are not disturbed. Treatment of strabismus in children in this case is not carried out.

Latent strabismus

Orthophoria, or the ideal balance of both eyes, provided by the eye muscles, occurs in only 20% of cases, the remaining 80% are characterized by heterophoria. This is due to individual anatomical structure eye muscles, position of the eyeballs, features of innervation.

It should be noted that the visual analyzer creates one common image by merging the pictures received from two eyes separately. Therefore, the balance of the oculomotor muscles is usually not disturbed, and strabismus may not be detected.

Prolonged close work requires a high tension of the muscles of the eye, which leads to a deterioration in well-being, the appearance of migraine-like pains. Usually the appearance of such conditions is found in children 6-7 years old who have gone to school.

Since it is sometimes quite difficult to determine whether this is strabismus in a child or heterophoria, methods must be used to explore binocular vision. With strabismus, such vision is absent, and with heterophoria, it is preserved.

If the measures were unsuccessful, and the condition progressively worsens, an operation is performed to correct strabismus in children.

True strabismus in children

True strabismus exists in two forms - friendly and paralytic.

Concomitant strabismus

Study of genetic predisposition to the disease of concomitant heterotropia showed that it is not the strabismus itself that is inherited, but the structural features of the structures of the eye, leading to strabismus.

With this type of strabismus, divergent and convergent concomitant strabismus is distinguished. The difference between the two forms lies in the location of the so-called visual axis of one eye in relation to the point of fixation. So, divergent strabismus in children manifests itself when the visual axis of the squinting eye shifts from the point of fixation to the temple.

Then there is a visible divergence of the eyes. Convergent strabismus in children occurs when the visual axis of the convergent eye moves away from the point of fixation to the nose. The visible difference in forms allows you to establish the causes of strabismus in children, as well as features clinical manifestations which must be taken into account by the attending physician.

Remember that factors of the external and internal environment in conditions of unstable binocular vision can provoke concomitant strabismus in children under one year old.

Causes

The main reason for the development of such a pathology is considered to be a pronounced difference in visual acuity between the organs of vision, as a result of which the brain begins to take the eye with low vision to the side. In a child, strabismus can also develop when the images obtained on the retina are of different sizes.

In the case of certain refractive errors that have not been tried to be cured and corrected by the appointment of glasses or lenses, heterotropia can also develop. So, with myopia, the violation is represented by divergent, and with farsightedness - convergent strabismus.

Treatment

All treatments for strabismus applied to a child are aimed at achieving binocular vision.

It should be understood that treatment of strabismus should begin with the definition of the problem that led to it.

The ability to merge images obtained from both eyes, the achievement of high visual acuity (both with and without correction), the absence of amblyopia, the presence of sufficient mobility of the eyeballs, the symmetrical position of the eyes in the orbits - these are the criteria by which the effectiveness of treatment is judged.

Treatment of strabismus at home is aimed at combating amblyopia by eliminating the eye that sees better from the act of vision, as well as by conducting a special program of orthooptic exercises.

The synoptophore apparatus, used for both treatment and examination of patients, allows you to establish the ability to merge images. WITH diagnostic purpose you can even define the width of the merge reserves. Synoptophore allows you to establish both subjective and objective features of the visual analyzer.

Orthoptic exercises are indicated if there is no amblyopia, or if the visual acuity of the worse seeing eye begins to increase steadily through pleoptic exercises. Synoptophore allows you to carry out exercises aimed at improving eye mobility, which is especially important for eliminating visual fixation problems.

For training in children in a playful way, a special muscle trainer can also be used. The synoptophore apparatus can be used in children older than 4 years who have a pronounced lack of binocular vision. In babies 2 - 3 years old, diplopic exercises are used.

Surgical treatment of strabismus is indicated for children over 3 years of age with insufficient effectiveness of the conservative therapy. Operations on oculomotor muscles aimed at achieving symmetry in the position of the eyes, which should be an incentive to establish binocular vision.

If eye deviation persists after strabismus surgery, the next step is recommended. surgical treatment in 6 months.

Paralytic strabismus in children

Cause of the disease

Damage to the oculomotor, trochlear and abducens nerves that innervate the oculomotor muscles.

If one muscle is affected, the eye usually turns in the opposite direction. Fixing an object with both eyes is difficult. Paralysis completely blocks the feedback of the muscle, so there is no eye movement in its direction or they are very limited.

There is double vision and dizziness, which disappears if one eye is covered. There may be a forced position of the head, which can slightly reduce the symptoms.

An ophthalmologist, taking into account the peculiarities of fixing objects, can determine the affected muscle or group and determine which nerve was hit.

Treatment

Remember that before treating strabismus, you should establish what causes the main process, determine its course and dynamics.

In the treatment, electrical stimulation of the affected muscle is used, exercises are used. Double vision is eliminated with prismatic glasses, occluders are used in those parts of the field of view where double vision is observed.

Correction of strabismus in children by surgery is possible only after 6-7 months after achieving stabilization of the main process. In case of congenital paralytic strabismus intervention is recommended for children over 3 years of age.

Or is this disease for life? It depends on the reasons for its appearance, on the age of the child and on other factors.

What is strabismus?

In medicine, the term "strabismus" is used when talking about the pathology of the organs of vision, in which one or both eyes look in different directions. In this case, the lines of sight do not have an intersection point. One eye looks at the object, and the other is directed past. In such cases, the muscles of the visual organ work inconsistently.

Pathology can be either congenital (present from birth or appears in the first six months of life) or acquired (appears before 3 years).

Vision in children under one year old: normal

As soon as a happy mother returns from the maternity hospital with a newborn, she is surrounded by caring grandparents and other relatives. Everyone is looking at every part of the baby's body, watching his every movement, every breath. And often pay attention to the fact that the newborn's eyes squint. Does it go away, do the parents worry? In most cases, yes! Therefore, do not immediately panic and run to the doctors.

The fact is that for a newborn it is quite normal. The baby is still a tiny, not fully formed organism. Many organs and systems are just beginning to adapt to new conditions. environment. Including vision. The eyes are a complex analyzer. He begins to work in full force only by the end of the first year of life.

Immediately after birth, the baby's eyes are only able to distinguish between the presence or absence of a light source. This is exactly how they check their eyesight even in the hospital, they direct the beam to the eyeball, if the baby closes his eyes, then the reaction is correct. B poorly distinguishes objects, sees them as if in a fog. The gaze turns out to focus only on large objects. At 3-4 months, the baby tries to catch sight of smaller objects and their movement. During this period, the vision of each eye develops separately. The muscles there are still quite weak, and it is difficult for the baby to focus on the subject. Therefore, it is absolutely normal when a child's eyes squint. When does strabismus go away in newborns? This usually happens by 4-6 months. Until six months, there should be no signs of physiological strabismus.

convergent strabismus

Strabismus is a pathology in which the visual axes are displaced. With convergent strabismus, these axes are located closer to the bridge of the nose. This can affect both one eye and both at once. They kind of get together. The eyeball is displaced from the center to the bridge of the nose. This problem occurs most often, in 90% of cases, and most often in newborns. Most likely, you should not worry if the baby mows only from time to time, and not constantly.

Exotropia

Much less often, only in 10% of all cases, the visual axes are shifted relative to the center not to the nose, but in the opposite direction, to the temples. Often divergent strabismus is also accompanied by farsightedness.

Treatment of strabismus

When does strabismus go away in newborns? Babies usually get rid of it by 6 months. But if the child is already six months old, and the look does not normalize, in such cases it is important not to waste time and start treatment. You can help the baby with a whole range of special measures:

1. Create right conditions for normal visual function. That is, provide a mode of visual work, monitor good lighting of the play area, bright toys should not be close to the crib.
2. Correct other diseases accompanying strabismus. For farsightedness and nearsightedness, lenses or glasses are used. Thus, the load on the weak muscles of the eye is reduced, and the disease goes away.
3. Temporarily close the healthy eye. To do this, use a special bandage or simply smoke one glass of glasses. Thus, the muscles of a healthy eye are temporarily turned off, forcing the muscles of its "lazy brother" to join in the work and train.
4. Hardware treatment. These are computer techniques, magnetic stimulation, laser stimulation, electrical stimulation and others.
5. Operative surgical intervention. This is a cardinal method, but it is necessary if all of the above conservative methods brought no improvement.

When will strabismus in a newborn go away? This question worries parents. Does strabismus in newborns go away quickly? The baby has a physiological age feature pass by 6 months. And if treatment is required, it will take about 2-3 years. The sooner the disease is detected and treated, the sooner it will go away.

Prevention of strabismus

Like any disease, strabismus is better prevented than treated. There are simple tricks that will help prevent the onset of the disease:

• do not overload the visual muscles and nerves, toys should not be too close to the eyes;
• do not run the appeared eye diseases, immediately treat them;
• be attentive to the planned examination of the ophthalmologist.

Strabismus in children. Causes

How to cure and when strabismus passes, we found out in this article, but why do some children suffer from this disease, while others do not? Why does this disease appear? The reasons why it may appear in a child are different:

• viral infections carried by the mother during pregnancy chronic diseases may affect the health of the baby;
• difficult childbirth;
• various infectious diseases and inflammatory processes in a newborn;
• external damage and trauma to the organs of vision;
• hereditary predisposition;
• a clear violation of eye hygiene;
• incorrect mode of visual function, when toys are always too close to the baby's face in the crib and stroller.

This pathology belongs to the small number of diseases that can almost always be diagnosed by the parents themselves, without the participation of a doctor. You just need to carefully monitor the development of visual functions. And when the strabismus in a newborn passes, a caring parent will immediately notice. You just need to carefully monitor the baby.

When does strabismus in newborns go away? Komarovsky answers

Oleg Evgenievich agrees with other doctors on this issue. Komarovsky says that this is quite typical for newborns. physiological feature. Moreover, it is the norm. When does strabismus go away in newborns? It passes on its own without any treatment by 4-6 months of life. By this time, the muscles of the child's eyes should be strong enough. If this does not happen, without wasting time, you need to contact a specialist, he believes. Parents should be especially careful if there have been cases of such ailments in the family. The main thing is not to waste time. Indeed, for babies, an untimely visit to a doctor can lead to the fact that (the ability to simultaneously clearly see the picture with both eyes) will not be formed.

They will not be able to see objects in bulk. And it will not be possible to correct this at a more mature age. But when strabismus in newborns passes, parents can completely forget about the disease. She probably won't show up.

A newborn baby is no different good eyesight, and sometimes completely shocks parents by the fact that his eyes are squinting, they cannot focus, they are clouded. Questions about whether the child is healthy and whether he sees are quite common reasons for visiting pediatricians. In this article we will tell you what are the features of the visual function in babies of the first year of life and how to determine whether the baby sees.

Peculiarities

The baby sees the world around him in a completely different way than adults. This is easily explained in the first place physiological reasons- The eyes of a child are significantly different in structure from the eyes of an adult. Children are not born with organs of vision that are fully adapted to this world and sufficiently formed. In all, without exception, crumbs in the 1st month of life, visual acuity is extremely low. Everything that is for us a picture of the world around us, for a newborn is a set of spots of different illumination and intensity. His eyes are in a continuous process of formation.

The eyeballs of a newborn are much smaller in proportion than the eyeballs of an adult, and therefore the image of the baby is not received on the retina, but in the space behind it.

This explains why all babies suffer from physiological farsightedness, which is completely normal for them. In the early days, the baby does not focus at all. sees mostly black and white spots, only the outlines and at an average distance of about 40 centimeters. But from perfectly distinguishes between light and darkness. In response to a bright light source, he may begin to blink, close his eyes, try to close himself with a handle, shudder with his whole body, and the baby may react to a too sharp and bright light with an angry cry. These reflexes are called unconditioned visual reflexes. They must be checked in the maternity hospital.

There is a myth that a newborn's vision is upside down. This is not true. If there are no pathologies of the brain, gross birth defects its development, the baby sees it in the same way as all other people. An inverted image is not typical for babies.

But many completely healthy babies who were born just a couple of months ago are characterized by a wide variety of eye movements, which parents sometimes mistake for strabismus, nystagmus, and other signs. poor eyesight. In fact, newborns and infants have very weak eye muscles, and therefore it is not surprising that one eye of the baby looks at you, and the other a little to the side, no. This is a temporary phenomenon, which, with the normal development of visual analyzers, will disappear on its own in a fairly short time.

In the first three years of life, the baby's organs of vision undergo enormous cardinal changes. This process requires a reverent attitude on the part of adults, the elimination of all negative factors due to which vision can form with problems. To act correctly, mothers and fathers need to know what processes and at what stages of development occur, this will help maintain the health of the child and notice deviations in time, if any.

Stages of development

The eyes of the embryo begin to form at 8-10 weeks of gestation. It is important that at this moment the mother is healthy, and no negative factors did not affect the correct laying of the organs of vision, the optic nerve. Pathologies that occur during the period of stay in the womb are quite difficult to correct, if at all.

In his mother's belly, the baby distinguishes between light and darkness, demonstrates unconditioned visual reflexes, but he does not see bright light, getting used to a dark and dim atmosphere. After birth, the little one needs to adapt to new living conditions for himself. To distinguish something else besides light, the baby begins at about 3 weeks after birth. It is at this stage that object and color vision begins to form.

By the beginning of the second month independent living the baby can already keep his eyes on large bright and large objects that are no more than 60 cm away from him for a very short time. By 3 months, the baby is able to follow the silent toy with his eyes for much longer. Moreover, the toy itself can now move left and right and up and down. The child repeats similar movements with his eyeballs, turns his head towards a bright object of interest to him.

By six months, children develop stereoscopic vision. The kid focuses on objects without any problems, follows them with his eyes, can reach out and take toys in his hands.

Color perception is formed gradually - at first, babies begin to distinguish red and give preference to it. Then they see yellow. Green and blue - are comprehended and realized last.

After 6 months, the little ones learn to see distant spaces. Stereoscopic vision allows them to see the world as voluminous, full-fledged, and the improving capabilities of the body (he learns to sit, crawl, walk) gradually stimulate the development of the cortical part of the brain, which is also responsible for the accumulation of visual images. The kid learns to evaluate the distance between objects, to overcome it, the color scheme in the second half of life also becomes more saturated.

Congenital physiological farsightedness, common to all infants, usually disappears by 3 years. During this time, the eyeballs actively grow in babies, the eye muscles and the optic nerve develop and improve. The organs of vision of a child become as similar as possible to adults only by the age of 6-7 years.

None age stage the child no longer experiences such dramatic changes and transformations in the organs of vision as in the first year of life.

Surveys

Children undergo their first examination by a neonatologist while still in the maternity hospital. It allows with big share accuracy to establish the majority of congenital pathologies of the organs of vision. These include neonatal retinopathy, congenital cataracts and glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy and other visual ailments. serious congenital pathologies often accompanied by manifestations of external signs like nystagmus (twitching and twitching of the pupils) and ptosis (drooping of the eyelid). However, an examination in the maternity hospital cannot be considered 100% reliable, since many diseases, including genetically inherited ones, develop only with time.

That is why it is so important that infants, especially premature ones, be examined by an ophthalmologist in a timely manner. The first examination is always at the age of 1 month. At this age, the doctor is limited to assessing visual reflexes, including a light test for the pupil, as well as a general examination of the eyes - the shape and size of the eyeballs, pupils, purity (clearness) of the lens.

The next check-up for preterm infants is scheduled to be at 3 months, and then at six months. For babies born at term, one test every 6 months is enough.

At six months, the doctor will be able to get an idea of ​​​​the visual function of the baby in more detail. He will not only visually assess the condition of the eyes with the help of devices, but also check them motor activity, focusing on objects, synchrony of reaction, accommodation and refraction. The doctor will tell the parents of a six-month-old child with a high degree of accuracy whether a slight strabismus in their child is functional and harmless, or whether it is pathological change which needs to be corrected.

If parents have doubts that the child sees well, the doctor may try to examine the baby's vision using a special tablet. One half of the sheet in it is covered with black and white stripes, the second is white. Mom closes one eye to the baby, and the doctor brings this sheet to her face. If the baby automatically begins to look at the striped part of the table, then he sees, and there is no reason to worry.

The ophthalmologist can conduct the same study at the next scheduled examination, which must be done in 1 year. After a year and a half, Orlova's diagnostic table is used to assess visual acuity; if violations are detected, the degree and severity of the problem is checked using special techniques and devices. After one and a half years, it is recommended to check the child's vision 2 times a year.

How to check yourself?

Check your newborn's vision at home baby pretty hard. However, there are symptoms that parents must pay attention to and consult a doctor as soon as possible, which will help to carry out a full and detailed examination in the clinic:

• The child was born in a family where close relatives have vision problems. With a high degree of probability, the baby will inherit the pathology, it should be observed by an ophthalmologist as often as possible.
• The child was born prematurely.
• At 1 month, the baby does not respond with pupil constriction if you shine a flashlight in his face.
• After 3 months, the baby does not focus on bright large toys, reacts only to "sounding" rattles and squeakers, not noticing toys and objects that do not make any sounds.

• At the age of 4 months does not follow the toy which is moving.
• At the age of 5-7 months, the baby does not recognize the faces of relatives and does not distinguish them from persons strangers, does not reach for toys, does not try to grab them with his hands.
• If there is purulent or other discharge from the organs of vision.
• If the child's eyeballs are of different sizes.

• If the pupils involuntarily move up and down or from side to side, finely trembling.
• If the baby noticeably "mows" with one eye.
• By the age of one, the child does not pay attention to the birds on the street, to other fairly distant objects.

All these signs cannot independently speak about possible pathology visual analyzers, but are a very convincing reason to visit an ophthalmologist unscheduled.

Development

Anatomical and physiological features of the development of vision in children of the first year of life (AFO) will tell parents what and how to do in order to promote the development of the baby's visual function. If the baby was brought from the hospital and settled in a darkened room, where there is little sunlight, then all stages of the formation of vision can go with a significant delay. For newborns, it is very important that the room is bright, so that there are no bright light sources and mirrors next to the crib. Access to the crib should be from all sides so that the baby gets used to looking at people and objects both from the right and from the left side.

In the first days and even weeks, the child does not need any toys, because he will not really see them anyway. But already by 3-4 weeks of life, you can attach a mobile to the crib or hang rattles. The main requirement that will help maintain the health of the baby's eyes is the distance from the face to the toy. It should not be less than 40 centimeters.

For the development of visual function, it will even be useful if a toy or mobile is lifted from the baby's face at a distance of 50-60 centimeters.

From one and a half months, the child can be shown black and white pictures, consisting of simple geometric elements. They can be found on the Internet and printed on sheets of A 4 format. Such simple exercises contribute to the development of the optic nerve, eye muscles, the child learns to perceive contrasting images.

A baby is born with a fully formed visual apparatus in the womb. During the first days after birth, the baby surrounding it new world appears with blurry outlines. As the baby grows, they develop visual functions. It will be interesting for future parents to find out how newborns see, and at what age babies begin to clearly distinguish between mom, dad and everything that surrounds them.

When the child begins to see

Young parents are often concerned about the question: “Do newborn children see and how well their vision is formed immediately after birth?”. eyes and visual system in children, it is fully formed closer to the 28th week of pregnancy. This means that the newborn is born with fully developed eyes. A specially designed part of the brain is responsible for the perception of visual images. Therefore, the child begins to see from birth, but at first the blurry outlines of people and objects.

What does a newborn baby see in the first month

At the age of one month, a child is interested in black and white shapes, patterns, pictures or photographs. Most of all, babies like to look at the face of mom, and especially dad, if he has a brutal look with a beard and mustache. The baby clearly distinguishes between parents and large objects at a close distance no further than 60 cm from his eyes. If adults are approximately at this distance, then their child will react to them with facial expressions, gestures and make sounds.

The list of how newborns see the first month of life:

• From a blurry picture month old baby highlights large bright objects. Because the center for processing visual information in the brain of a baby has not yet been fully formed.
• The kid begins to follow the movement of large objects. Gradually, the child develops the ability to fix his eyes, first for a few seconds, and then longer.
• The child can already distinguish between parents approaching him or passing nearby. More often he recognizes them by sounds and smells, but the month-old baby also remembers the outlines of faces.
• A newborn in a month sees a bright toy and examines with interest the multi-colored rattles suspended above his crib or in a stroller. A one-month-old baby does not yet distinguish colorful shades; he is attracted by the bright appearance of an object nearby.

The presence or absence of light

Scientists have proven how newborns see light, babies begin to react to bright lighting while in the womb. Under the conditions of the experiment, the researchers directed a beam of light to the belly of a pregnant woman, while the 8-month-old embryo wrinkled and turned away. After birth, up to the age of two months, bright light objects, along with large objects, are the only visual elements that an infant perceives.

Outlines of objects

To understand how newborns see, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that children of the first days of life cannot fix their eyes. Infants distinguish only the outlines of large objects, but only from a distance of 20-30 cm. Everything around them seems fuzzy, blurry, lacking contrast. In the first weeks after birth, visual acuity varies from 0.005 to 0.015 units.

When the child begins to focus

At the 7th month of pregnancy, the vision of the fetus is almost completely formed. It remains the case for the development of the brain center responsible for visual perception, which begins to process pictures from the age of 4 months after the birth of a child. Therefore, up to four months, babies can only see the world in a two-dimensional image. From this age, the little one is able to focus on stationary and moving objects.

It has long been known about how newborns see objects, all children develop according to a standard scenario. After childbirth, due to compression of the cranium, swelling and swelling of the eyelids, the baby perceives the surrounding space vaguely. closer to month old, the baby sees objects in black and white. As the baby grows, the arsenal of visual perceptions is replenished with a variety of colors, first red and yellow at the age of about 3 months, later green, blue and other tones.

How do babies see at 1 month

Parents are often interested in how newborns of one month old see, how to understand that development visual perception formed normally? At 1 month, the main objects that the baby distinguishes are sources of bright light and the mother's face. The baby wanders around the room with his eyes, because it is still difficult for him to focus his eyes on the surrounding objects.

What colors does a baby distinguish at 2-3 months

At the age of two months, the child, in addition to white and black, begins to distinguish between red, orange and yellow colors. A three-month-old toddler is already following moving objects with his eyes, perceives the absence and presence of light. But it cannot yet capture the visual image in widescreen. A baby 2-3 months old sees all surrounding objects in two-dimensional space. A newborn baby begins to see normally from about five months of age.

Improving visual function from 4 to 6 months

After three months, starting from the fourth, green and blue are added to the palette of colors that babies distinguish. The visual parts of the brain and the central zone of the retina of a child at 4–6 months old provide the ability to see a three-dimensional image with many shades of colors. Babies at this age are actively exploring the world around them, examining objects. Toddlers turn their heads in all directions and can fix their eyes on both stationary and moving objects.

When does a child begin to recognize parents?

A newborn baby begins to see his mother clearly from about 3 months. At this age, the crumbs begin to function binocular vision, that is, the ability to see synchronously with both eyes. So that the baby can clearly see the facial features of the parents, it is better to keep him in an upright position at a distance of no more than 30 centimeters. You can use facial expressions to communicate with your baby.

Visiting an ophthalmologist

At the age of one month, a mother with a baby for the first time can come to the clinic for an appointment with a pediatrician. During control examinations, specialists check the physical and mental indicators of the formation of the child. O proper development a monthly baby is evidenced by certain reflexes. Normal speech progress is indicated by the child's ability to communicate discomfort through a reflex cry. Visual skills at the age of one month are limited to observing large brightly lit objects.

Reflexes corresponding to the monthly age of the child:

1. Grasping, - putting his finger on his palm, the little one will grab it.
2. Search, - barely touching the cheek, the baby will turn his head in search of an “irritant”.
3. Sucking - swiping a finger near the lips, the baby will immediately begin to smack his mouth.
4. Protective - putting the baby on the tummy, he should immediately turn his head to the side.
5. Moro reflex, ― slamming on the surface where the baby lies, he will immediately spread his arms and legs to the sides.
6. Reflex "automatic gait", - if you put the child in a vertical position, holding armpits, the child begins to confidently move his legs, imitating steps.

A vision analyzer for a one-year-old child, including main body visualization (eyes) and perceiving areas of the cerebral cortex, fully formed. In addition to full-fledged visual perception, which an ophthalmologist can confirm, a child at 12 months old should crawl on all fours, sit confidently, actively master walking skills, know 10–15 words, and hold toys in their hands.

Why do you need a professional examination by a specialist every six months

After the first six months of a baby's life, it is imperative to show an experienced ophthalmologist. professional doctor check the child's eyes, whether they are healthy, see equally well, visual acuity, whether eye movements are symmetrical. A visit to the clinic will help make sure that the formation of the eyes is going according to age period, and there are no factors that interfere with the development of the visual apparatus in crumbs.

What signs should parents of a newborn look for?

A child who can speak, if something bothers him, will definitely inform his parents about it. But when it comes to a newborn, adults will have to carefully observe the behavior of their child, the only way to notice suspicious symptoms of an incipient eye disease or visual impairment in time. Pathology can be suspected because the baby squints, rubs his eyes, blinks often. Defects in the formation of the visual apparatus make themselves felt when the child stumbles upon interior items, does not respond to bright objects in front of the eyes, etc.

Warning signs improper development or eye disease crumbs:

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Child development at 3 months. New milestones in your baby's life

The development of a child at 3 months includes both physical and emotional stages. We often focus on stages physical development our child and have little understanding of the importance of our child's emotional development. Understanding your child's stages of emotional development will help you understand your child's behavior. This will help you understand how your child may feel at certain times and will allow you to help him in this or that situation. It is important to remember that each child develops in his own way. in a unique way depending on the individual.

Development and care

At first, you may think that caring for a baby is an endless cycle of feeding, changing diapers, and soothing the baby. But in the near future, there will be signs of growth and development of your child.

By 9-12 weeks breast baby will become stronger. When you hold it vertically, you will see that the baby holds the head almost without hesitation. This suggests that the muscles of the neck of the newborn are strengthened. By this time, the muscles of the upper body begin to develop.

When you look at the baby, you will see that his hand coordination is not as erratic as it used to be. A child of 3 months of development, knows how to open or press to his chest, grab everything that comes to hand in his fist: colorful hanging toys, fabric and other objects and pull them right into his mouth.

Video: Games for the development of fine motor skills

There are many benefits while holding a baby in your arms. This helps him learn to feel comfortable and safe. This not only develops the bond between you and your child and strengthens it.

The rate of development of a child at 3 months

Feeding and sleep

A child needs sleep much more than an adult. Over a 24-hour period, the average newborn sleeps for 16 hours. Even at three months, a baby needs to sleep for about 15 hours in a 24 hour period. The baby still won't sleep restful sleep throughout the night, he still needs to wake up periodically to feed. The length of the sleep and wake cycles depends on your child. At this time, the child will sleep 4-5 times a day for about 2 hours and 4-6 hours at night.

It may also depend on how you feed your baby. If it is bottle feeding, then these children start sleeping through the night a little earlier than those who are on breastfeeding. Some babies sleep through the night as early as 3 months of age, while others take a year or more to get into this sleep pattern.

When growing up, the child will gradually wake up over more long periods. By then, your little one will have been sleeping for about 13 hours in 24 hours, with only one hour of daytime. During the day, your child should sleep on the same schedule.

Don't forget to take care of your health. As a breastfeeding mom, don't overindulge in quick snacks, it won't make you feel good. In addition, the amount of milk depends on the nutrition of the mother. Start your day with a bowl healthy food such as various cereals, various cereals soaked in milk. This ideal source energy that will fuel your body all morning.

The development of an infant at 3 months of age will bring many surprises. Hearing and vision will improve dramatically. Children of this age turn their heads more consciously and smile at the sound of their parents' voices and still prefer to play with brighter toys because they sharper contrasts are easier to recognize than monotonous ones.

Your child's eye coordination will improve enough to follow an object left, right, up, or down.

Video: Follow the sound

Faces are especially interesting to 3-month-old babies. Look at him, and he will look into your eyes without taking his eyes off, which is the most interesting child He will also look intently at his reflection in the mirror.

Height and weight at 3 months

The growth and development of a newborn at 3 months of age is one of the most rapid periods of growth. Your baby will grow from 2-4 cm in length, and will gain 600-900 grams of weight this month. These are approximate indicators - your child may grow both faster and slower, but there will be all growth spurts.

If your child is picky or wants to eat more than usual, this is probably due to rapid growth. This is especially true during the day, as the child is especially active at this time. If you are breastfeeding, your baby may want to eat more often, perhaps even every hour. This can lead to the fact that the mother will not have time to collect milk and the child will have nothing to feed. Perhaps in this case you will have to introduce complementary foods with a mixture, but you should do this carefully, since the baby’s stomach is not used to such food. You can consult your pediatrician about this. When formula-fed, the baby can also eat more. To do this, you need to slightly increase the volume of the mixture.

Video: Reasons for the deficiency breast milk

Pay attention to signals when your baby is hungry (tongue sticking out, sucking thumb or other objects) and full (turning away from food or falling asleep after feeding). If fussiness continues for more than two days, talk to your doctor.

The doctor will measure the weight, length, head circumference of your child and track it on a standardized growth chart (available different charts for boys and girls). Whether your child is large, small, or medium in size, if the growth parameters remain consistent over time, you are likely to be fine.

If your baby was born prematurely, keep in mind that growth and development should not be equated with that of a full-term baby.

Communication with others

At three months, your baby is getting more a unique person. This stage is called "hatching" by some psychologists, when children come out of their "shells" and begin to react and relate themselves to the world around them. Part of this induction process involves interacting with people and smiling out of pleasure, otherwise known as the social smile.

If you have normal development baby at 2 to 3 months old, then crying is no longer your baby's main way to get your attention. In fact, 3-month-old babies should cry for no more than an hour each day. If the crying exceeds this, or seems excessive to you, a visit to the pediatrician is necessary because the tears may be due to a health problem.

Instead of crying, your baby begins to communicate in other ways, such as cooing and making vowel sounds (“oh” and “ah”). Engage your baby in conversations by responding to these sounds and talking about what you do when you are together. Say, "I'm going to change my diaper now" or "It's time to eat." Your child will delight in listening to the sound of your voice and looking at the expression on your face as you speak. Eventually, he will start making his own sounds and making his own gestures. conversations also great way to communicate with your child.

Video: Singing baby

Possible problems

Every newborn baby develops at its own pace at 3 months. But it is worth talking to a doctor if the baby has any misses at this stage of development at 3 months, especially if he was born prematurely. However, you should contact your pediatrician if you notice that the child does not do the following things at 3 months:

• Doesn't respond to noise
• Does not follow people's faces or other objects with eyes,
• Doesn't smile
• Doesn't pick up toys or other items.

• A number of experts offer parenting advice, specifically on how to get your child to sleep through the night. Listen to advice, but trust your instincts. If letting your baby cry (Ferber's method) doesn't work for your baby and goes against your beliefs as a parent, don't do it;
• You may have been advised by friends or family members that starting your child on solid foods may help him sleep through the night. Take your time, wait at least one more month. Pediatricians recommend that newborns should not eat anything other than breast milk or special formula until they are 4-6 months old.

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When and how do newborn babies begin to see

A child is a long-awaited miracle in every family. They prepare for its appearance in advance and study any information with love: books, articles, information on the Internet.

But the books read and theoretical information from the network will not be able to answer all the questions that young parents will have with the birth of a baby. And one of the main questions #8212; When does a newborn begin to see?

Formation of the child's vision

One of the first subjects of discussion is how and when a newborn begins to see. The eyes of a child begin to form even in the womb - from the fourth month of embryonic life.

And on the seventh or eighth month, the fetus already actively reacts to light, can turn to it or, on the contrary, turn away if it is too bright, the baby is able to distinguish between day and night. Parents are concerned about whether newborns can see.

With proper intrauterine development, the baby is able to see immediately after his birth. The question is, how do they see the world?

Features of vision in the first days of life

An infant who has just experienced birth cannot be expected to have the sight of an adult. The picture of the world for him is still very blurry, and even painful, as bright light unusually cuts delicate eyes. Therefore, often after birth, babies are in rooms with subdued lights to minimize stress.

It is worth noting that from the very moment of birth, it is most convenient for a baby to view everything and everyone around him from a vertical position. So it is easier for him to concentrate, although the child will be able to hold his gaze on something for at least 10 seconds only after four months. And before that, his eyes will be able to focus for only a couple of moments, they will, as it were, “slide” over the object of interest.

At the beginning of his life, the child only sleeps, eats and wets the diaper. Although it is interesting to consider the space surrounding him, it is still unpleasant and uncomfortable due to swollen eyelids and reddened eyes. The swelling appears when passing through birth canal in the process of delivery, but goes away on its own after a while without third-party intervention. Most often, the eyelids during wakefulness are half-closed, squinted.

There is an opinion that newborns see everything upside down, upside down. This is not so: they are not able to analyze what is in front of them until they perceive what they see. It has been proven that newborns can see far away. Best of all, the baby distinguishes objects at a distance of about 25 cm - this is the space from the eyes of the crumbs to the face of the mother during breastfeeding.

Therefore, even when artificial feeding it is recommended to take the child in his arms - so it is most comfortable for him to consider his mother and remember her features. And even at such a tender age, it is possible and necessary to establish eye contact, to attract attention. True, in order to succeed, given how newborn children see, several conditions must be met:

1. First of all, catch the right moment - not immediately after feeding or when the baby intends to fall asleep.
2. Raise, supporting the head and under the ass, at arm's length.
3. Do not make sudden movements, give the child time to concentrate his eyes.
4. Smile: positive emotions always nicer to watch.
5. In an attempt to attract attention, you should not raise your voice: the baby can be upset, capricious, start crying, and then positive result from eye contact not worth the wait.

How vision develops in the first month

There is absolutely no point in worrying if at first the baby noticeably squints with her eyes. This happens often, because the process of controlling your vision has just started. Simply put, a child at 1 month old is just beginning to learn to look at the world with its variety of objects that have intricate shapes, bulges, sizes and are at completely different distances.

During this period, it is necessary to show pictures with pronounced contours: circles, curls, stripes, etc. for eye training. It is recommended to hang toys, rattles or simply objects that attract the eye above the crib.

Babies love to look at things in a calm environment. Do not hang a homemade or purchased mobile directly above your head. It is better to place such a design closer to the legs, behind them or on the sides of the crib. This position will help concentration and not create unnecessary stress on the muscles of the neck.

But a leader in conquest children's attention there was and remains a human face: its crumb looks most closely, noticing all the changes. At the same time, information, moods are transmitted and read, the child learns not only to see, but also to feel.

Vision changes at 3 months

Children begin to see the environment more or less clearly and realistically, but still not in the colors we are used to, but in black and white. They have already examined and remembered the closest people who often caught their eye - mom, dad, sisters, brothers - and are even able to distinguish between them.

This is especially easy if relatives have special features. For example, dad has a dark mustache / beard, mom is blonde and wears glasses, sister is blonde, but less mom, brother also has small face but swarthy and without a mustache/beard.

At three months, again, temporary strabismus can be observed. This is the result of the imperfection of the eye muscles, which by this age have not yet grown strong. To force both eyes to look at a certain object at the same time, even if it is not moving, from little man it takes a lot of effort.

Progress in the first half

At about the sixth month of life, the baby is able not only to begin to distinguish between family members, but also to recognize them, greeting them with a happy smile and cooing. The basic color scheme is already available to him, but rich yellow and red colors attract attention more than others.

That is why it is recommended to buy the first rattles, teethers in this color - they will definitely attract and retain attention. By six months, the child's eyes look familiar to us and should not mow.

If even a slight beveling of at least one eye is noticed, this is a reason to contact a family pediatrician who, after an examination, will tell if there is a need to visit an ophthalmologist.

New mothers, especially those with their first child, are prone to over-anxiety and may exaggerate some symptoms. For example, due to genetic heredity, a baby sometimes has a wide bridge of the nose, which creates an erroneous impression of squinting the eyes.

Such a delusion can be debunked by a pediatrician, while reassuring worried parents. Your baby's vision can also be checked at home with a simple test. You need to take a small flashlight with a not very bright light, direct its beam into the eyes, holding the flashlight itself at the level of the bridge of the nose at a distance of 20-30 cm from the face.

It is necessary to monitor the reflections of the beam in the pupils: if it is in the middle, then there are no problems with vision, and if the glare deviates in any direction, a professional consultation is needed.

Do I need to rush to the doctor

approximately how a child perceives the world for months

When the child begins to see, it is necessary to get an appointment with the optometrist as early as possible - he will be able to give professional advice relatively proper care behind the eyes even from the first birthday. Do not be afraid of the complexity of the procedures - as a rule, everything is simpler than it seems at first glance.

Of course, if the baby does not have problems with neonatal conjunctivitis, which sometimes happens in the first week of life. In this case, both or one eye begins to fester, but this attack is easily curable and in no case affects visual acuity in the future.

3672 03/06/2019 6 min.

Looking at small children, there is often a feeling that the eyes are a little mowed. It doesn't always have to be scary. In medicine, this condition is called (strabismus) and occurs due to the inability of the infant to fully control his eye muscles. Due to the weakness of these muscles, the eyeballs move slightly inconsistently when the baby tries to see a moving or static object. not yet fully formed, and the eyes will get stronger by three to four months of life. If the child still has this problem, then you need to see a doctor.

To monitor the correct development of the child, it is necessary to visit the doctor regularly.

What it is

Strabismus (strabismus, heterotropia) is a disturbed position of the eyes, revealing the deviation of one or both eyeballs, both when looking straight ahead and in turn. When the position of the eyes is symmetrical, the retinas of both eyes receive images of objects in the central part. The very first sign of strabismus is an asymmetrical gaze.

Any violation of the position of the eyeballs can only be diagnosed by an ophthalmologist.

In medicine, there are several types of this disease:

• Horizontal strabismus is the most common. It can be of two types: convergent or esotropia. In this case, the eyes look at each other, as if converging to the bridge of the nose. Divergent or exotropia. With such a strabismus, the eyes diverge in different directions, to outer corner eye.
• Vertical strabismus is less common. It is also divided into two types: Hypertropia - when the eyes are directed upwards. Hypotropia - in this case, the eyes are directed downwards.

Depending on whether one eye or both mows, strabismus can be alternating or monocular.

• Monocular strabismus - the position of only one eye is disturbed. In this case, the squinting eye practically does not function. The CNS protects the brain from "double" images and the eye "turns on" only when the healthy eye is squinted or closed. Because of this, over time, dysbinocular amblyopia begins to develop and vision in the squinting eye falls.
• Alternating strabismus - the position of both eyes is disturbed. They mow in turn, but this makes it possible to use both of them. With such strabismus, visual functions will last longer and appear in a milder form.

False and true strabismus

Many parents are very frightened when they notice children.

Until the age of four months, this is not medical problem. Rather, this is due to the peculiarities of the development of the baby: the structure of the skull is special for this age, and the baby himself is still difficult to properly control his body.

Including the eyes. To calm the parental nerves, it is enough to go to a doctor who can refute or confirm the fears. Most often, all fears are dispelled after a few special tests and parents can sleep peacefully again. Only after identifying any oculomotor disorders, it is possible to diagnose true strabismus.

False strabismus is not dangerous and resolves on its own with age, without requiring any intervention.

Causes

Vision is a very sensitive organ and by excluding some factors, you can protect your baby from further health problems. Or be more attentive to his eyes, if there is such a predisposition.

The reasons may be:

• genetic predisposition. If the next of kin already has such a problem, then it is better to visit an ophthalmologist more often.
• Various pathologies during pregnancy and past illnesses during pregnancy.
• Birth trauma or brain injury cervical spine. This can lead not only to strabismus, but also to other vision problems.
• Severe illnesses in the first months of a baby's life. If the child's immunity has been greatly reduced due to illness, then this can lead to vision problems and even strabismus.
• Too close arrangement of toys hanging above the crib. The kid immediately learns to focus his vision incorrectly, which leads to further problems.
• Severe head trauma can lead to strabismus.
• Psychological trauma, mental disorders.
• Sometimes scarlet fever, measles, or strong form flu.
• Already existing ametropia.

What are the differences in the treatment of conjunctivitis in pregnant women, read.

Children's body very sensitive. So strong stress for him can lead to unforeseen consequences. So the reaction to the vaccine can cause strabismus.

Symptoms

A clear violation of the position of the eyes is immediately visible, but there are cases hidden form this ailment. This is an imbalance muscle tension eye - the eyeball moves due to six muscles and each is in a certain degree of tension. Almost everyone has an imbalance between them. It rarely worries anyone, but if it is spurred on by rapid fatigue of vision, then the baby may fall under the risk factor. Voltage reaches high point, myopia develops and then strabismus becomes apparent.

When and why does it occur false myopia this one will tell.

Let your child's eyes rest. This can protect him from many vision problems in the future.

Diagnostics

most simple diagnostics can be done at home. You need to ask someone to attract the attention of the baby with a toy and cover the eye with a piece of thick cardboard. Then close the second eye, carefully following the first. The position of the first eye should not change - the child should continue to look at the toy. The same should be observed for the second eye. If the position has not changed. That's no cause for concern.

V medical institutions Diagnosis is difficult and time consuming. First of all, a doctor. The procedure is carried out at the beginning without the use of corrective lenses, and then with them. Computer technology can now be used for this procedure. They pinpoint problems more accurately.

It is necessary to determine the range of motion, the angle of strabismus and the position of the eyes. It is also necessary to examine the anterior segment, the conductive media of the eye, the fundus. It is necessary to determine the refraction of the eyes of a child. This procedure is done on a narrow and wide pupil. The next step will be a binocular examination of vision.

How are selected contact lenses look in this one.

After receiving all the data and consulting with an ophthalmologist, you can begin treatment.

In no case should you self-medicate. It will only harm your child!

Treatment

Very an important factor in the treatment of strabismus, is precisely the timeliness. Launched options are more difficult to correct, so it’s better not to delay a visit to the doctor.

True strabismus does not go away on its own. To eliminate it, it is necessary complex treatment, and wasted time will only aggravate the situation of the child.

There is nothing dangerous in surgical intervention, and even the most complex strabismus can be corrected. Moreover, even before the start of the procedure, it will be possible to see what the eyes will look like after the procedure. Surgical intervention allows to achieve complete correction of any strabismus.

After the operation, doctors do not leave the baby to fend for themselves and fully control the process of his recovery. They make up various complexes for training the eye muscles and completely restore the baby's vision.

Useful exercises for the eye muscles, see this.

It is important to understand that the child's vision system is formed before the age of three or four. After this age, it is very difficult to restore the position of the eyes, and the child's brain will be harder to adapt to a new vision of the world.

Complications

Treatment not started on time can develop into a serious pathology. After all, the squinting eye does not work at full strength, and over time it completely turns off. Collecting then a single picture will be very difficult. Another problem may be encountered in the future - the baby will no longer perceive the spatial volume. For him, the world will always be seen as flat.

Prevention

most important prevention there will be a timely visit to the ophthalmologist. For babies - 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. Thereafter, at least once a year. Be sure to follow all the recommendations of the doctor and do not forget about gymnastics for the eyes.

May present early in development, especially in infancy.

What is mild hypermetropia in both eyes:.

Multifocal lenses for glasses: how they were created and why they are so popular, read this.

Video

conclusions

And once again I would like to remind you that strabismus in children has a variety of reasons - therefore it is very important to establish the true one. Below we have outlined the most common of them, but remember that in no case should you try to make diagnoses on your own - this can lead to the most unpredictable consequences. The information in this article is provided only for general introduction parents are aware of the matter and cannot be used as a guide to self-treatment.

Don't miss scheduled checkups at the pediatrician!