(NAPSA)—According to the National Optometry Association one in six children has a vision problem that keeps him from reachingfull learning potential. Unfortunately, someparents have a blind spot when it comesto their child’s visual health. To bring awareness to this issue, Knowledge Learning Corporation (KLC), a leading provider of quality child care and educational programs, offers the following tips to help families recognize vision problemsearly. Poor vision is preventable through early detection. A child’s first eye examination should take place by age 3. Currently, only 14 percent of preschool children have a vision exam before elementary school. Parents can recognize possible vision impairmentsif a child is showing any of these symptoms: Holding reading materials closer than normalor losing his place frequently Complaining of headaches, dizziness or displaying excessive clumsiness Squinting, covering one eye, or consistently rubbing and blinking eyes Tilting the head to one side to use one eye Tips for parents to assist eye development from birth are: Birth to three months: Hang mobiles to provide movement for new eyes to follow. Changing your baby’s position in the crib adds variety of scenery. Colorful rattles and squeaking toys grab visual attention and begin sight/sound coordination. Four to 6 months: Hang objects across the crib to foster hand/eye coordination (make sure objects are large enough so they can’t be swallowed, and high af enough that they aren’t a strangulation hazard). Six to 8 months: Allow your baby the freedom to crawl and grab onto different objects like furniture, toys and stuffed animals so she can explore textures. Continue reading to your child from large, colorful books. e Eight months to 1 year: Name objects in more detail as you hand them to your baby to assist in sight/vocabulary development. Introduce your child to “take apart toys” like snapping beads to further develop hand/eye coordination. One to 2 years: Uncomplicated puzzles improve motorskills and coordination. A rocking horse or tricycle also fosters balance. * Two to 3 years: Continue to read to your child. This improves visualization and lays the groundwork for a lifetime of reading. Introduce crayons, peg hammering toys, andclay. For more health and safety tips, visit www.knowledgelearn ing.com. January is National Eye Care Month, but any time of year is a good time to have your child’s eyes examined.
