Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

Delayed Vision

12 replies

MK1ST · 06/04/2011 21:04

Hi, I have a 11 week old baby girl who Ive been told has delayed visual matuation. I noticed at 5 weeks she didnt focus on faces or objects and became slightly concerned. As the weeks went on she still wouldnt focus on toys, faces anything her eyes just move all the time. She doesnt look at my face when im talking to her and if a toy or object is making a noise she doesnt look towards it. She does react to bright light, as in she screws her eyes up. We went for her 6 week check and were told something was wrong and had to be referred to an ophthalmologist. We went there on monday and were told her eyes look perfectly healthy but no she cant see. She has most probably got delayed visual maturation, and it could take up to 6mnths before she can see. I was just wondering has anyone had a child with this?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

smeraldina · 07/04/2011 10:33

Hi there. Yes, we had something similar with our DS (now 21 months). He didn't fix or focus, was very late smiling and then it was to vocal rather than visual cues, and we ended up being referred to an opthamologist and a paediatrician. They said his eyes were fine but there was a visual delay. He started to suddenly 'see' when he was about four and a half months old, was seeing normally by six months, and is now just fine. (Well, he has a slight squint but that's probably completely unrelated). He's a bright, alert, super smiley little boy who notices everything. We found it incredibly worrying at the time (although in the end I decided that what can one do but wait). I concentrated on lots of bodily contact, cuddling, tickling, singing, and kept smiling and looking at him. My brother made an amazing moving mobile with very clear black and white shapes hanging from it, and that was the first thing our little boy seemed to 'see', along with a big shiny helium balloon (at around sixteen weeks). I found it really hard when other people's babies were busy smiling and making eye contact. Hope that helps.

Original poster

MK1ST · 07/04/2011 18:45

Thanks so much. Its just so hard, esp because we had never heard of it and me and my husband are both opticians! What are the odds. Yeah Ive just been showing her lots of black and white things and carrying on like normal and just hope that she will be able to see soon. I was just concerned it would affect her development. There seems to be very little information on it.

OP posts:

smeraldina · 07/04/2011 21:00

Yup - I was concerned about that too. Really concerned. In the end, I threw away all baby books about milestones and just tried to enjoy what he could do (eg. recognise voices, like being touched, being sung to etc. I sang 'The Owl and the Pussycat to him about a hundred times). The vision delay doesn't seem to have affected his development one ounce. But it is a really stressful thing and my DH and I had to battle not to let it cast a shadow over things. I was more successful at keeping cheery than him tbh. He's a GP and kept wanting to 'fix' it.
I kept wanting to deck people who said 'Has he just woken up'? when he looked through them when they walked into the house -- or 'Is he smiling yet?'.
Feel free to pm me if you'd like. I'm sure your little girl is absolutely wonderful and gorgeous. Make sure you stick around people who remind you of that, not who remind you of what isn't happening yet.

Original poster

MK1ST · 08/04/2011 21:25

Och cheers. My family is so supportive but it was just a shock when youve never heard of it before. She is such a smiley wee thing u feel so bad for her but shes prob none the wiser. Thanks for replying.

OP posts:

Genoveva · 02/05/2011 22:37

I am in a very similar situation, my baby boy is just 5 months and not tracking objects - but responding in all other ways *that are not sight related. His eyes are perfect - been checked by two ophthalomologists, and we have had a VEP, and Electro retinagram - which were all normal. Now we are in a "wait and see period". Has anyone knowledge of how many instances this is just a delay - is this quite common? My obvious concern is that there is something wrong in the brain, i.e possible permenant visual impairness. He is lovely and otherwise very healthy - I think has slight motor delay - i.e in holding his head - however I have seen improvements here, so this is not so much of a concern. This is baby no'3. He does seem to do all the things you have outlined, your son did - sometimes looking through people or moving eyes from side to side - he does not fix straight ahead - no matter how hard you try. I believe I have seen him track an object up and down to the side (but not frequently), however you doubt your own judgement sometimes! Any comments / support greatly appreciated.

smeraldina · 03/05/2011 14:49

Hi Genoveva. I don't have any expertise on this, but just wanted to send you my support as I know what a worrying time this is. From what I read about DVM it can last till 6 months...have the eye people given you any information about how long the 'wait and see' period might last?
Sx

Genoveva · 03/05/2011 21:36

smeraldina, thanks for reply. yes 6 months is really what has been advised. In articles I have read, they say 6-8 months. So I have another 4 weeks until I guess the DVM should simulate into some kind of evidence of sight. Incredible tough and worrying.

smeraldina · 04/05/2011 23:21

Everything crossed for you. With our little one - it really went from almost nothing to 'goodness, he does seem to be looking at that'. And the thing in question was an enormous shiny reflecting helium balloon. The articles I read talked about 'switching on' - as if vision went from 0 to 100% overnight - but with him, it was the balloon - but still no recognition of anything else - then black and white shapes about a week later - and within four weeks after that he was seeing. So maybe keep trying the odd big shiny thing? Sorry - you're probably doing everything you can anyway - but just a thought. Sx

Genoveva · 07/05/2011 12:26

I think he has definite times when he does "see things" - i.e I have some small striped homemade black and white cards - which I believe he has followed up and down - not tracked across from left to right though. Yes I have lots of shiny things- CDs hanging etc / black and white toys... It is interesting to hear the journey from your perspective, so thank you. I just so want him to look at me and feel he has seen me and made the connection through sight, then I will feel more comfortable. best.

flossyboo · 13/05/2011 08:56

hi everyone

reading this all with interest as i am on the same journey with ds - hes now 4 1/2 months and has been diagnosed with delayed visual maturation (well we're hoping thats 'all' that it is)

he generally doesnt fix or focus but will repond to light.. he does reach out for his toys on his play gym and seems to track his mobile though. its such a worrying time - he has been seen by a paed. opthamologist (who incidentally had awful eye contact - theres definitely irony there lol!!) who said his eyes seem ok but he has been referred for vep/mri etc

its the not knowing thats the worst isnt it :( saying that we are counting our blessings for him - hes such a good wee thing and has a smile that just melts you!!!

bishboschone · 14/04/2012 14:50

I know this is an old thread but how did everyone's babies come on? My ds has dvm and I'm interested in hearing other people's experiences .

mummahubba · 06/08/2012 21:13

My baby has just been diagnosed with this... is there anyone out there the same?????

Flip