mums of short-sighted children- can you help?

[RinkyDinkyPinky]

A close friend's DD keeps bumping into tables, or knocking things over as if she doesn't notice them. She stares a lot and seems to focus through me when I talk to her. She's a v sweet 2.2yr old but often heavy handed. When she was looking at my new baby she did a lot of head-patting and she tends to "hug" or squeeze other kids in a way that distresses them or she'll get v close to another child and stare v intently.

I suspect that her vision needs help and that she stares/ gets close up/ bumps because it's difficult for her to focus. Both her parents wear specs.

Has anyone got experience of DC with short (or long) sight? Did it manifest this way? I'd like to mention it to my friend (we are quite close) but I want to know if I'm barking up the right tree first...

It does sound like she should have an eye test.

Dh and I both wear specs so I thought the dss might need them too. Ds1 wears glasses and his eye problems became apparent because he was cotinually squinting and blinking a lot. Is there any way you can bring up the subject? Do you have dcs and have they been tested - perhaps you could suggest going together.

The fact that both parents wear specs should be a reason to get her eyes tested. I think they do get tested at school but obviously that won't be for a while and I think that in some cases if short-sightedness is caught early it can be corrected

It is unusual for a 2 year old to be short sighted - more likely if there is a problem for her to be longsighted and/or have a lazy eye.

The symptoms could be an eyesight problem.There is certainly no problem with her getting her dd checked anyway.Ask GP or HV for referral to hospital eye service.

OK, so would a high street ophthalmologist be able to check such a young child (in which case I could open a conversation about going with my own DD1) or does one usually go via GP for that age group- in which case I'd need to be more direct with my friend?
I am worried about offending my friend- not that anyone should feel offended by needing visual help since most of us will need specs at some point in our lives, but I'd be suggesting that her DD might need help and that she hadn't noticed herself IYSWIM.

My ds (5 now) has had regular eye appointments since he was 8 months old and we have always attended the Paediatric Eye Clinic at the local hospital, referred by the Health Visitor. He sees the Orthoptist and the Opthalmologist occasionally too, they are both fab and excellent with young children.

Don't know how you get around the issue with talking to your friend though!

No idea about your friend's dd although it does sound like an eye test would be a good idea.

With dd, we noticed when she was about 4 that she was getting closer and closer to the TV. The first eye test wasn't very conclusive but since then she's got steadily more short-sighted and needs to wear glasses all the time now - she's 9.

We weren't very surprised as I started wearing glasses at 7 and dh is also short-sighted.

The average high street optometrist can test young children but the equipment they have does vary.At 2 you need someone who is really experienced with young children and the hospital eye service is (need GP/HV/Optometrist referral for this).

She could certainly ring any high steet optician and ask if they test 2 year olds (ideally checking if the optometrist who is doing the test is experienced and good with young children).

I would ask your friend if she had thought of having her dd's eye's tested as you are thinking of getting your own dd tested and see if she mentions anything about her dd.