DS needs glasses-any tips on persuading him to wear them?

[MrsBobDylan]

DS 5 has ASD and goes to a sn school. We recently found out he is long-sighted, both eyes are turning inwards (squint) and one isn't working properly (lazy eye).

By some miracle, we got him through the testing process and he has chosen glasses. We pick them up on Friday. He HAS to wear them or he will eye up loosing the sight in one eye permanently and he HAS to crack on as there is a window of opportunity which closes around the age of 6/7.

But, he hates change, complying or basically anything which isn't initiated by him! For example, I've spent the last three weeks trying to get him to wear new shoes as he has out grown his old ones.

I'm looking for tips to help DS accept wearing glasses-all ideas gratefully received.

[madwomanbackintheattic]

You may find that the benefits of being able to see help that along... (Fingers crossed)

If not, then I would make as much of a game of it as you can. And maximize any rule following issues he has... I'd whatever he loves to do, he has to wear glasses for - tv? Games?

Fwiw, dd2 has an alternating converging squint (I assume that his isn't alternating if one is also lazy?) which was operated on when she was, hm, 7 or 8 ish. If she hadn't had a disability they would have done it much earlier (for some reason the NHS don't priorities what they see as cosmetic surgery for kids with disabilities in the same way as NT kids, but don't get me started on that!) in any case, we had all the dire warnings about not ever developing binocular vision etc etc as 7 was the cut off, but she is fine. She will always wear her glasses to make it easier for her, but she can see pretty well without them. They are really to make her life easier than for any enormously functional eyesight issue.

Are they going to get you to patch to fix the lazy eye before they operate on the squint? Don't let them fob you off just because he has other issues. Because dd2's were neuro-related (or not, no one could decide) it wasn't until we saw a new guy when we moved when she was 7 who was utterly baffled why no one had operated. He just got her on the surgery list as soon as poss and she hasn't had any issues since. The NHS had refused for years.

It may also be worth you getting a spare pair ordered (we always got two pairs due to her disability as they were - ahem- more likely to get broken) and then the optician could patch one pair up and keep them going while the other pair were sent off for repairs. They had a wee box of bits of her glasses at the store so they could try and keep a pair on the road. you should be entitled to two pairs because of his dx.

Good luck!

[MrsBobDylan]

Thanks madwoman - he loves watching you tube videos and DVDs so I'll make it a rule that he needs to put his glasses on before he does either. It helps it's the school hols so we have lots of time for screaming stand offs (him not me!).

I can't believe they delayed your dd's treatment like that because of her disability. How bloody awful. Glad she's doing so well now.

We thought ds' squint was just in one eye but they said both his eyes have a tendency to move inwards, but one more so than the other, which is the lazy eye.

They said they hope having glasses will sort out the squints and help the lazy eye. Dh said he asked what would happen if the glasses didn't correct it but that the consultant didn't answer. DS had blown his top by then and I think everyone just wanted to get out of the room.

He goes back in 8 weeks so I'll make sure I ask then. I shall bear in mind what you've said about them trying to fob us off.

[ouryve]

BTDT with DS2.

We tried graduated rewards for putting them on, then wearing them for longer and longer periods. He got to a point where a little thought bubble appeared saying "it used to be easier than this" and then we lost him.

Ended up with the optologist giving him drops that blurred his vision for a while week so he needed his glasses to see at all. I think that, because he'd become used to not seeing close up, and because it's not like he could read or anything that required good near vision, he couldn't see the point.

[ouryve]

And DS2 is prescribed 2 pairs, because of the nature of his SN. We go to specsavers, so he ends up with 4. Last year we did get to the point where we could only find one pai r of glasses, though he has got better now (he's 9) and we've forked out for some much thinner lenses in his two primary pairs to make them more comfortable for him.

[MrsBobDylan]

I didn't realise the two pairs thing-I will look into that next appointment. It will only take one play fight with his older brother and they will be destroyed.

I am so worried he will refuse to wear them...the eye examination was really tough on ds, lots of being asked questions, not allowed to jump around or touch everything around him. Even though it went better than I ever dared hope, I'm already dreading the next appointment.

The dispenser at the optitions was so lovely to DS but he still managed to hit her on the hand and swear. And spit on the mirror.