Thursday July 26, 2007
Clear vision
Good eyesight is crucial for your child’s development as 80% of his sensory input depends on vision.
FROM birth to around seven or eight, your child makes sophisticated leaps in vision that are very much like the leaps she’ll make in crawling, walking and talking. During those years, too, she will learn lifelong vision skills. The development of these skills lays the foundation for a precious gift – vision.
Studies show that 80% of all our sensory input comes from vision. Children need good vision to see the blackboard clearly, read a book and fully participate in class activities.
Vision problems are very common. One in six children have mild to significant vision problems. Many have never had a vision examination as recommended by eye care professionals, every one or two years or more regularly, where necessary. About 25% or more school-age children require some vision correction.
Orthoptists often remind parents that visual screenings are no substitute for a thorough eye examination by an eye care professional. They should not assume that their children have “wholesome” vision just because they’ve passed a screening with a 20/20 score, That score only means that a child can see at 20 feet what she should be able to. It does not necessarily relate to any of the other vision skills needed for learning and is certainly not a guarantee that her eyes are healthy and disease-free, and working in unison as a pair.
The eye is an extremely complex organ that relies on an intricate interconnection of signals. The ability of the eyes to coordinate with the brain while processing the information gathered through vision is called eye-to-brain coordination.
While the eye’s greatest physical development occurs during the first year, children continue to hone their vision skills throughout childhood. Eye muscles strengthen and nerve connections multiply. As your child’s body muscles develop and become more coordinated, her eyes become stronger and work together more effectively. With specialised equipment and test methods, at between eight and 12 months old, your baby’s vision can be measured and is almost fully matured in its clarity and depth perception, particularly at near distance.
Between one and three, coordination between eyes, hands and body allow children to pick up objects, walk or run from place to place, and throw and catch a ball. You will even see the refinement as their hand/eye coordination improves. Meanwhile, their visual skills help them take in information and learn about the world around them. As the brains grow with the rest of the body, it is important to provide the right visual stimulant for better learning at an early age.
Preschoolers are constantly honing their vision and the coordination of both eyes with their brains for better learning. The right nurturing and the right nutrients for eyes and coordination can lead to higher overall IQ and EQ scores.
Vision and nutrition
The brain and retinas in the eyes are pre-dominantly made up of fatty acids. The brain is composed largely of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA). DHA is an Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that is the primary building block of the brain and retina. As the most abundant fat in both the brain and retina, DHA is essential for brain and eye functions.
During the last trimester of pregnancy and for many months after birth, the uptake of DHA and AA by the fetal brain and retina increases dramatically. Both DHA and AA are considered essential fatty acids (EFA) because they cannot be synthesized and must be provided in the diet.
In a child’s early years, a large amount of fatty acids, found in milk and some types of food is needed to develop the brain and eyes. The optimal level of DHA, AA, linolenic acids, Taurine, Choline and other essential nutrients play a specific role in the development of eye-to-brain coordination in children.
Taurine, an amino acid, is a key building block of proteins that exists in very high concentration in specific areas of our central nervous system, especially in our retina (eye), cerebellum, the visual cortex and other parts of the brain. Choline, a compound classified with the Vitamin B complex, is the precursor to Acetylcholine, and is one of the important brain chemicals involved in memory.
Vitamins also play a significant role in the development of vision. Vitamin A helps develop and maintain good eyesight, while promoting healthy hair and skin. Fortified milk, fish and fish oils, carrots and other deep yellow fruits and vegetables are all rich in vitamin A.
Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin, is needed for growth and for healthy skin and eyes. It can be found in green vegetables, poultry, fish, liver, cheese and milk.
Niacin or Nicotinic acid is a vitamin essential for growth and healthy tissues as Riboflavin cannot function properly without Niacin, which is found in liver, yeast, lean meat, whole-grain and enriched breads and cereals.
While it is important to provide your child with all the essential nutrition for the development of eye-to-brain coordination, it is equally important to provide the right nurturing to stimulate the processes involved in vision. Instead of limiting learning to books and classrooms, outdoor exploration and walks in the garden are good ways to maximise your child’s learning potential.
So get out the tricycles, push toys and bug jars. Look for puddles to stomp in after the rain. Pack a picnic, unfold a blanket on the front yard, count the butterflies, ants and ladybugs. You’ll be creating learning opportunities while building memories for you and your children at the same time. – Article courtesy of Abbott Nutrition Malaysia
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