3 month developmental check

matt-dublin

Our lo just had his 3 month test yesterday and failed his eyesight tracking test.

Kind of has us concerned that he has eyesight problems or might be on the autistic spectrum.

He doesn't seem to blink when you move your hand closer to his eye but his pupils respond to light.

He's an interesting background inclucing CMPI, lactose intolerance and silent reflux.

Currently on nutramigin AA and 3mls Zantac daily.

11 weeks/12lbs 6oz

Any advice?

January

The wait list for the hse eye clinics are long so if you can afford it go private. That's my advice. I've 4 kids all wear glasses as do myself and my husband. We waited over 2 years for one of our kids to be seen

lazygal

I only waited s couple of months for a HSE eye check with an optician for my child. Maybe it depends on the area.

January

Dublin north west area here and for first child we waited 3 months. Second wasn't seen until school as no turn. Third was over 2 years and 4th was referred at 6 months as was seen in June at just gone aged 2.

matt-dublin

Do you think it's more likely to be a delayed visual development or shortsightedness rather than something more sinister?

We were playing with him this morning and it sometimes seems like he can track left and right but not up and down. Either that or it's coincidental that he's moving his eyes left and right as we pass by or move a toy acros his face.

He seems to have hit a lot of other developmental milestones like sucking his hands, supporting his own weight while standing and being balanced, Kicking a lot, smiling and gurgling etc.

We're just a bit freaked at the moment because we don't know what it means and Dr. Google is the worst thing ever!!

January

It's more likely that he has poor sight than anything else. It's very common. Step away from Google. Besides he's 3 months old. I don't even think my phn did any eye stuff at three months. She waited until 6 months with all of them. Did she refer on or say to wait it out?

MistyCheese

January wrote: »

Step away from Google.

Second this. I know it can be hard though, I'm a Googler too. Have the child's parents got any sight problems? Do you think the child isn't very social? - smiling, eye contact, blowing bubbles etc- is there a history of asd in the family? I'm just wondering what's made you think zebra instead of horses and worrying about autism. I'm sure it's very hard to diagnose autism or any asds at such a young age so I would try to not go mad worrying.

There's such a huge, wide range of 'normal' when it comes to child development. Some children will be more chatty and social, others quieter and tend to be more physical - like rolling over and pushing up when doing tummy time earlier than others. The vast majority of children catch up in the end but always people will have their own different strengths - one person might be great with numbers but not be able to make up a bedtime story to save their lives, another person might be able to strum along an instrument and make up a tune as they go but ask them for directions to their own house and you'd get lost.

At three months there's not a whole lot babies are expected to be able to do. Aswell as making eye contact there's fixing and following, reaching for a toy, moving their head towards a sound (particularly mam or dad's voice), blowing little bubbles or raspberries, babbling away to themselves or to others, kicking out at a toy - like if you have a playground for example. Transferring a toy from one hand to the other isn't really required at this stage, nor is rolling completely over but those would be coming up soon.

You said he tries to support himself when you have him in a standing position, my physio said at three months they wouldn't even really be looking at that yet so maybe your child is a bit ahead of the curve physically. It's perfectly okay then if they need a bit of time to catch up in another area, it's a bit like they're concentrating on one area at a time. Then the child could discover 'ah, this blowing bubbles thing is cool too' and they'll concentrate on that for a bit instead. (And let the bubble blowing babies catch up with the more physical things!)

matt-dublin

Yeah we're both short sighted

January

matt-dublin wrote: »

Yeah we're both short sighted

There you go then I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep away from Google and find out how long the waiting list for the eye clinic in your area is.