Monticello Live

August is National Child Eye Health and Safety month. Each year, thousands of children 5 and under have eye accidents at home, at play, or in the car. These eye injuries can damage a child’s sight and even cause blindness. The Prevent Blindness in America organization states that ninety percent of these accidents are preventable. The most common causes of eye injuries to children include:

• Misuse of toys

• Falls from beds, against furniture, on stairs, and when playing with toys

• Misuse of everyday tools and objects (work and garden tools, knives and forks, pens and pencils)

• Contact with harmful household products (detergents, paints, glues, etc.)

• Automobile accidents.

Protecting your children’s eyes can be easier by finding and removing hazards:

At Home: Use safety gates at top and bottom of stairs. Pad or cushion sharp corners. Put lock on all cabinets and draws that kids can reach. Keep all sharp or pointed objects out of kid’s hands. Put away all hazardous chemicals, including cleaning solutions.

At Play: Read all warnings and instructions on toys. Avoid toys with sharp edges or hard points, spikes, and rods. Don’t buy toys that fly or shoot. Be aware of items in playgrounds and play areas that are hazards. Make sure your child wears proper eye protection when playing sports.

On the Road: Make sure children are properly secured in baby carriers and child safety seats and that the seat and shoulder belts fit well. Children age 12 and younger should never ride in the front seat. Store loose items in the trunk, or secured on the floor.

If you suspect that your child has a vision problem, contact an eye doctor for an exam. If you notice any of these signs, get medical help right away.

• Your child has obvious pain or trouble seeing.

• Your child has a cut or torn eyelid.

• One eye does not move as well as the other.

• One eye sticks out compared to the other.

• The eye has an unusual pupil size or shape.

• There is blood in the clear part of the eye.

• Your child has something in the eye or under the eyelid that can’t be easily removed.

The Drew HEALTH Coalition meets monthly to develop and implement plans to create healthier communities. If you are interested in addressing child health, or other health issues, we invited you to attend our monthly meetings. For more information contact Karen Brown at 870-367-6234.

 

This entry was posted on Monday, August 6th, 2012 at 12:07 pm and is filed under Medical / Hospital. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.