Developmental Screening Surprises

After encouragement by my Father-In-Law, last May I made an appointment for Frank to be tested at the local Child Development Center. FIL was concerned about Speech issues, but they local CDC does a full battery of tests on the kids. When I was making the appointment and mentioned that many people could understand the three-year-old better than the five-year-old, they offered to make Jack an appointment for the Full Evaluation too. I thought it was a joke to test Jack, but figured it wouldn’t hurt anything.

Last month, the CDC called because Jack had failed the Vision portion of the tests… which didn’t surprise me because I remembered that he didn’t want to sit still for the vision things (or many of the test actually), he was far more interested in getting back to the toys in the waiting area!

Yesterday Jack went back to the CDC for another Vision Screening… which we did twice because he kept failing it. As luck would have it, I was able to get him an appointment this morning (due to a cancellation yesterday – see, it’s good to call the doctor and cancel your appointments if you can’t make them.)

Again this morning, Jack was wiggly, and they had trouble testing him. We dilated his eyes with drops and called in “the big guns”… that is, I called Tom at work and he was able to come over to “help” Jack hold still for the second set of tests. Sure enough, Jack has vision problems… Astigmatism and Myopia (near-sightedness). Both easily corrected by, you guessed it… glasses!

I’m feeling a bit stunned and sad. I just didn’t realize Jack couldn’t see. He has a negative two prescription in both eyes. That’s as bad as Tom’s is now!

Tom and I are both near sighted, but we didn’t need glasses until we were 32 (T) and 15 (S). I’m just floored about my three-year-old needing glasses. Of course I want to help him, but it adds financial expenses as well as logistical issues (YOU try finding a pair of INDESTRUCTIBLE glasses that a Rough-And-Tumble three year old will want to keep on and keep track of!)

Jack has been enjoying the tests as well as looking for glasses. Today, we went to three stores and here are the three pair I narrowed it down to.


Really, Jack loves the color RED, but I can’t seem to find any red glasses in his size. I could try looking online or in Salt Lake City, but don’t you find glasses are really something you want to see in person? Plus, if I ordered them in SLC, getting them serviced would be harder, so, I'll probably go with a local optometrist and order the first pair (the blue ones) in brown (they don't come in red).

I guess from all of this I would say… do get your kids screened! I was surprised 1½ years ago when Frank needed tubes (for hearing problems) and I’m surprised today by Jack. Both times I felt bad for them and at myself for not realizing it sooner. I’m glad that the solution for Jack is so “simple” though.