What Does it Look Like if Your Special Needs Child Has Eye Problems?
It’s not always easy to discern when a child is having trouble with her vision. It can be even more difficult for parents of special needs children because your child may not communicate in the same ways as other children might. That means that you might need to watch for clues that let you know your child is having trouble.
Squinting or Tilting Her Head
When your child squints or tilts her head at different angles when she’s looking at something, it’s possible that she’s trying to see more clearly. This might appear to work for her, but it doesn’t really solve the underlying problem, of course. Your child might put herself in uncomfortable positions for longer periods of time simply because she’s trying to see better.
Rubbing Her Eyes
Moving her head or squinting her eyes may not work for long, so your child might resort to rubbing her eyes often to try to improve her vision. She might also do this because trying so very hard to see well can cause headaches and even pain in her eyes. Rubbing her eyes may be your child’s only way to try to make them ache less.
Squeezing Her Eyes Shut
If your child doesn’t have strong motor skills or is unable to rub her eyes, you may notice that she often squeezes her eyes shut. She might hold them tightly shut for a little while and then blink rapidly. This is another effort on her part to try to clear blurry vision and allow her to see what she’s trying to look at.
Eyes that Seem to Wander or to Lose Focus
As you watch your child in the process of different activities, you might see that her eyes seem to lose focus a bit or wander a bit. This can be a sign that she’s not able to see well and that her eyes are trying to compensate a bit. Noting when this happens in particular can be good information for you to share with her eye doctor during an exam.
Eye doctors for special needs children may recommend eye exams more often in order to help spot potential problems more quickly. They can also give you other tips for recognizing eye trouble quickly in your child. This is especially helpful if your child has more than one special need because the tips are more tailored for her condition.
If you are considering care for people with disabilities in Beech Grove, IN, please call the caring staff at RSI Cares. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: 317-471-0750.
As a practicing Registered Nurse, Etelka was keenly aware of a void in quality patient care that could be provided in the home. She embarked upon a journey to develop a home health care agency that would exceed all expectations and become a trusted partner to physicians and patients.
A Distinguished Career From Nurse to Director of Nursing to President of Home Services Unlimited
Etelka’s distinguished career followed a logical progression to her position as President of Home Services Unlimited. She graduated as a nurse practitioner with a Bachelor of Nursing (RN) in 1972 from Meshgorya University in the Ukraine, close to where she lived with her family. She married her husband Phil in 1973 and decided in 1977 that they would relocate to the United States to be closer to family and to come to this land of opportunity. With an eagerness to continue her budding career, Etelka sat for and passed her Boards in the U.S. in 1979.
A Love and Talent for Working with the Elderly
Etelka began her nursing career in the U.S. at Colonial Crest, now part of Golden Living, where shewasthe In-service Coordinator, the Director of Training and Education and Director of Nursing, a position she occupied for several years.
With a group of partners, she co-founded Adept Corporation, which operated group homes for the mentally challenged. The business was successful and in 1996, Etelka sold her share to return to her roots, caring for the elderly.
In January of 1997, Etelka opened Home Services Unlimited as a fully licensed business to provide home health care. In her quest to learn to do better for her patients, she had already obtained a Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) in May of 1990 from the College of St. Francis. As President of Home Services Unlimited, Inc., Etelka guides the trusted, experienced care model Home Services Unlimited uses to continue providing excellent home health care.
Giving Back to the Community of Indianapolis
Volunteering for community services is a high priority for Etelka. Her memberships include the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Executive Women in Health Care and the Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, where she is a member of the Board of Directors.
Etelka has also served on the Board of Directors with Hooverwood Home, a highly regarded geriatric facility, since 1997 and as the President for 2005-2006. Through her community work, she has received several awards and accolades, including the Nora McFarland award in 2002, from the Indiana Association of Home and Hospice Care.
Etelka was honored as a “Health Care Hero” by the Indianapolis Business Journal. The issue can be read online here:
http://mags.ibj.com/activemagazine/welcome/html/ibjhch.html.
After clicking on the link, then click on the image of the issue’s front page. After that, you can browse through the issue or click in a box near the top of your internet browser to adjust the page to 17, which is where Etelka’s article appears.
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