Being able to see clearly is a very important part of learning development. Parents and teachers of early elementary school children should watch for silent warning signs of visual problems.

“A first, second or third grader may not always tell his or her parents that they are having trouble seeing. If the child cannot see, they might have a difficult time learning and keeping up with the rest of the class,” says Dr. Evelyn Paysee, an associate professor of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Parents and teachers should watch for certain behaviors that might indicate the child needs to have a vision screening.

Classic warning signs include; sitting to close to the television, holding a book close to the face while reading or squinting, blinking or rubbing eyes more than normal.

“The first step for the child is to be screened by a pediatrician or the school nurse,” says Payssee, also an attending physician at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“The pediatrician or school nurse can determine whether or not the child passes the screen or if he or she needs a comprehensive exam with an eye care specialist.”

It is also important for all children to have yearly visual acuity (clearness) screenings beginning at age 3 to 5 years.

Most schools provide these screenings. Parents should check with the school system to confirm. If they are not provided, they can be set up with the child’s pediatrician.

If an eye care specialist determines the child has significant refractive error (near-sightedness, astigmatism or hyperopia), glasses are typically recommended.

After about 10-11 years of age, children can usually handle contact lenses if they want them. The pediatric ophthalmologist or other eye care specialist will make that decision together with the child and parents or guardians.

In addition to refractive error problems, children who have trouble reading or are excessively blinking and rubbing their eyes may have a condition called convergence insufficiency.

This condition occurs when the eyes have difficulty maintaining convergence of the eyes on a near target. “Symptoms of convergence insufficiency include visual blurring, double vision and eye fatigue with prolonged near work,” says Paysse.

The condition can be treated with glasses, eye exercises and sometimes eye muscle surgery.

Whatever the condition, eye care specialists can help find the right treatment.

“We can help children get the best education possible by keeping them healthy and comfortable in their school environment,” says Paysse.

School’s start can be a shot in the

arm for kids

With the first day of school just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for parents to make sure their children’s immunizations are up to date, say pediatricians at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

“Keeping children and teens up to date on their vaccines keeps them healthy by preventing serious diseases, not only in themselves but also in those around them who may not be protected,” says Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, a pediatric infectious disease expert.

Without vaccines, the incidences of preventable childhood diseases such as polio, measles, and mumps could rise, Dr. Kahn says. Unvaccinated kids would be susceptible to the diseases, which in severe cases could be life threatening.

Even if you think your children are fully vaccinated, be sure to double-check with their pediatrician for the latest lists. In Texas, for instance, the Department of State Health Services changed the requirements for several vaccines in 2009, including those for chickenpox and meningitis.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month.

Classic PB&J

sandwiches banned

from lunch? Consider another butter

Nothing says kids’ lunches more than peanutbutter and-jelly sandwiches.

But with more schools banning the lunchbox staple because of peanut allergy concerns, brown bagging it has gotten a bit trickier.

Nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say parents don’t necessarily need to reach for the cold cuts.

“Spreads made from other nuts or seeds provide a nutritious alternative to peanut butter,” says Joyce Barnett, a registered clinical dietitian at UT Southwestern

She recommends that parents give the following spreads a whirl.

—Almond butter – This nut butter is high in protein and is a great source of potassium. Research has shown that almonds, which are tree nuts, can help reduce the risk of heart disease as well as total cholesterol levels.

—Soy nut butter – Made from soybeans, soy nut butter generally has as much fiber as its peanut counterpart. It’s free of peanuts and tree nuts, but children with soy allergies should avoid it.

—Sunflower seed butter – Created for kids with peanut allergies, sunflower butter is free of peanuts and tree nuts. The butter provides magnesium and vitamin E.