Colour blindness

[redclover79]

Hi
DS is 2.9 and I've noticed for the last couple of months that he doesn't seem to be distinguishing between red and green very well. He doesn't mix the up but seems to mistake red things for green (but not the other way round).
I'm not entirely sure he isn't just winding me up as he often goes through phasesof saying everything is purple etc, it's just the red/green confusion seems to persist!
Anyone have any experiences?
Thanks!

Please forgive me if I am wrong but I don't think at this age they can reliably identify colours. I know some children can but I don't think it's a definitive way of assessing colour blindness. I think the optician uses special colour/dot cards to assess children's colour sight.

Just a guess.

is there colour blindness in the family?

My dd also gets colours mixed up, and I think that's totally normal for her age (she's nearly three).

At 2.9, they often have trouble with colours. I wouldn't get too worried about it.

If your dad is colourblind, your DS has a 50% chance of being colourblind. If your mum's dad is colourblind, your DS has a 25% chance of being colourblind. (Colourblindness on your DH/DP's side doesn't make any difference to sons.)

Daughters are very very rarely colourblind - you'd have to have colourblindness in your family, and a colourblind DH/DP to make one.

Thanks everyone, I know he's young, I'm just being over paranoid I'm sure! I know he's a bit young to know his colours perfectly, but it seems to be specifically red and green!
Thanks nqc, I did wonder whether it was hereditary, as far as I know no one in the family is colourblind (I'm not in contact with anyone from my Dad's side though...).

Well, you couldn't get it via your dad's side, unless your dad himself was colour-blind.

Oh, I probably should say, my DS1 is red/green colourblind, I diagnosed him at nearly five, knowing he had a 50% chance. Dunno about DS2 yet, and am not that bothered.

In case you're interested in the genetics of colourblindness, the colour blind gene is carried on the x chromosome and therefore for a boy to be colour blind he either has to have a colour blind mother or a carrier mother. If you're not colour blind you could still be a carrier and that could happen in a variety of ways:

1. If your dad's colour blind (then you're definitely a carrier as he only has one x chromosome to give you)

2. If your mum's colourblind (then you're definitely a carrier as both of her x chrosomes are carrying the gene).

3. If your mum's a carrier (not helpful as she might not know it either and even if she is a carrier it doesn't follow that you are!)

The reason it's rare for a girl to be colourblind is because either both parents have to be colour blind or your dad has to be colour blind and your mum a carrier. I only know all this because I am one of those rare girls! My brother got my mum's "good" x chromosome and of course my dad's y chromosome so isn't colour blind. He's say he also got the brains, the good looks, the sporting ability...

Hi, Optometrist here......the visual system isn't properly developed until at least age 5-8. So don't worry yet.

Agree with NQC - at this age children often mix up colours.

Red green colourblindness is really common though DP has it (so that must make DD a carrier?) ithasnt been a hindrance to him so far, but I dont think your DS will be a fighter pilot.

Yes, your dd will be a carrier but she might not pass it on if her children get her "good" x chromosome.