How did you get your child to agree to wearing an eye patch for occlusion therapy?

[Numberfour]

I knew it was going to be hard, but I don't know how to convince him he has to wear it. He is 4.9 years.

help! I am in tears about it!

[whomovedmychocolate]

My friend got her daughter a pirate costume and got special permission for her to wear it to school. I know it sounds distinctly odd but it did help!

Also point out how much better his life is going to be and all the things he'll only be able to do with corrected sight.

[Numberfour]

thanks, whomovedmychocolate. That's a brilliant idea!

i have ordered an eye patch on ebay that I hope will take his fancy. one of the problems with getting it on is that he HATES having a plaster taken off and the patch is no different.

DS is still in preschool and starts school in Sept so I am hoping that we can get the wearing of the patch sorted over the summer holidays. no doubt with lots of bribing.

thanks, again.

[Furball]

someone here makes felt eyepatches to go over ther glasses in different patterns. or gives you the knowhow for you to do it.

do a search

My ds wore a patch but we fitted it in round school so was only at home and he was fine with that.

[talkingbook]

Here's the felt eye patch link previously posted which could be adapted to some different boy themes letting him pick one from a few choices.

Reward for wearing each day - pasta in a jar to fill up for a reward?

Definately get his new teacher in on the wearing if summer holidays don't crack it.

[Greensleeves]

get some squares of felt from a craft shop in different colours and some stick on googly eyes, and let him make his own assortment of monster patches?

[Numberfour]

thanks, everyone! he has not been too bad wearing it. but now it is getting it off that is the problem. DH is better than me at persuading DS to let him take it off (DS is scared it will hurt) so now I have him wear it late afternoon and then DH removes it at bath time when DH baths him.

with the long summer holidays looming, decorating felt patches is a brilliant idea for rainy days. But then we are cancelling all rainy days this summer holiday......

[LilyAllensThirdNipple]

ah
ds3 was about 3
you just explain and distract and incentivise

le him rip it off imo
i did it first thing to get it over and done with

[Bakester]

you might find this helpful GOOD LUCK

www.childhoodcataracts.org.uk/content/patching-or-occlusion-therapy

[BonsoirAnna]

Buy fabby patches - my nephew had dalmatian patches, pirate patches etc.

[Devendra]

I used to let my DD have a pick from her favourite DVD and even bought some for the occasion. She was allowed to watch the whole film but had to wear the patch for the duration. She would often forget about it and leave it on for a while afterwards. Perseverence is the key. Good luck.

[katiemum]

My dd, now 6, had to wear an eye patch last year at school and after a while got a rash from the sticky patches. I got her some patches that slip over the glasses and they made sucha difference - she was happy to wear them. They have some great designs. I was a bit worried she'd just take it off and "lose" it but she didn't!

www.meyepatch.co.uk/

hth

[notsoteenagemum]

The girl I have been supporting would not wear her patch at home but was happy to wear it at school, I think the distraction of nursery took her mind off it. Some children did ask about it but she would just say my eye is having a rest!
Also I dont think the patches are as sticky as plasters, she never bothered when it came off except once when it was stuck to her eyebrow.