Any ideas to help me to convince my very active ALL boy 13 month old to wear glasses with out freaking out? He has to wear them to see if that will correct a problem he has with his eyes crossing. Opthamologist thinks he's far sighted. I was born cross eyed, too, like my son, but had to have surgery when I was 3 to correct it, then wore glasses.
My husband I think we are going to end up calling the eye doctor and telling him this isn't going to work. I don't know if it was just today b/c my son was upset that they dialated his eyes or what, but he just SCREAMED having them on and tore them off. A strap isn't going to do any better, I think it will just make him even madder! We can barely wipe his face w/out a fight... He remembers having a feeding tube in his nose when he was born b/c he was in the NICU, so that's why it's tough to do things around his face. He's actually quite well behaved and bright, understands a lot of things you wouldn't think he could so young, and he already knows what the glasses are.
Any ideas?
All of the responses I received were great... He actually wore them yesterday after just a little fussing for about three hours, off and on. I got him up, fed him breakfast and before he was done eating put them on. He got mad but then got over it. I don't know if we are the oddball parents or what, but our son doesn't watch tv enough to know which characters he likes, except Handy Manny. We just don't really like him watching a lot of tv right now, and he's too busy anyway.
Thank you for all of your helpful suggestions though, and there are some that will be great for later. I talked to the opthamologist's office and they said that it can take toddlers at least 3 weeks to get used to it and the best thing is not to force it, which is what I was thinking myself. It's okay for him to wear them a few hours at a time until he gets used to them. There is so much that goes along with it, not just glasses. It's a major change, and then their little brains are processing things differently. They also said what a lot of you said which is after they get used to the glasses, they get mad when they don't have them because they can see better.
Thanks again ladies! This board is great.
IS there a fav cartoon person that wears glasses or one you can show him. If you can some how make it cool to wear them. You can also use a chart on the wall that keeps stars for the day he wears them all day long and you can give him little prizes as time goes by for wear them a h whole week , a whole month etc. I hope this helps some.
All of the responses so far are great! I was going to suggest a cartoon or other character in a book with glasses too. Also, if you or your husband wear glasses, that might help because sometimes they want to be just like mommy or daddy because that is who they look up to. That's my plan for when my kid eventually gets glasses (it's inevitable - we both had them at a young age and my vision is super-horrible), I will tell her she can be just like Mommy and wear cool glasses like Mommy's too. But you mentioned he screamed when you put the glasses on and tore them off. I wonder if the prescription is too strong? I know it hurts my eyes if I put on someone's glasses with a stronger prescription than mine. The reason I mention this is it seems at this age (my daughter is the same age) how can they accurately get the right prescription since the toddler may not be able to tell the dr. which letter is clearer like an adult or older kid could. Just a thought. But I don't know how they determine the prescription for little kids and toddlers, maybe they do it differently. But it is probably like you said, he understandably just doesn't want things on his face. I'd at least try the headband/strap just to keep them on. He may fuss and not like it at first, but I think he'd get used to the feel of having them on and forget about it eventually (after some tantrums). And even though it's an inaccurate stereotype and I don't like encouraging stereotypes (that a person with glasses is more intelligent), maybe you could tell him how smart he is and how smart he looks in his glasses? That is probably pretty harmless and it might help him want to wear them.
How about a reward chart. Start with small amounts of time each day and different times of day - 5 minutes after breakfast while watching his favorite tv program, 5 after lunch and 5 after dinner. Reward with treat. Work from there. Do 5 minute for couple of days then increase time and introduce at other times of day.
Have found bribery does work. Worth trying.
Just hang in there your story sounds exactly like mine with my little girl. Same problem with eyes and about the same age. She is five now and never wants to take them off. I went through it too, if you could just be persistent and every time he takes them off hurry up and put them back on, try to distract him as soon as you put them on his face, and have him to look at things while they are on, telling him see how good you can see with your super cool glasses on. If that doesn't work then maybe you might have to tell him no sharply as soon as he puts his hands on them, before he can take them off. If you could just be patient you or your son will not regret it. I always had to fight with my husband about it because he felt sorry for my little girl, and didn't think she should have to wear them. I wish that i could find a doctor to do surgery on my daughter though, so that she doesn't have to have such bad eye sight for the rest of her life. I hope that I help you with your little problem.
well....I say, give it a shot. My brother was in glasses from the time he was 2 months old because of a genetic eye disorder, and he did great. My sons both have the disorder, but they not currently in glasses because they seen fine right now, but will eventually need them, and I know it is going to be a bit of a battle, but if it will help them, I am willing to battle a bit. Maybe you can get him used to wearing sunglasses first since most kids think that is fun, that way the transition to glasses isn't so bad.
i was born with lazey eye and my first eye dr. wanted me in glassed at an early age but then my mom found a GREAT dr. in mobile, AL and to this day he is still my dr. I had surgery at 13 mth and then a few more but dr. rich became my dr. at around 18mths. you can TRY to put a sports band on the glasses and maybe try letting him practice with dunglasses. or just try for a few hours a day like while he is eating for a week and then eating and watching tv. hope something i said helps
i dont know about the glasses prob im sorry but i have to commment on your about me...i know how you feel it was the worst day of my life when i was told that i couldnt have children. It hurt so bad to think that i wasnt going to be able to carry a little person for 9 months and them see its smiling face. yes there is adoption and it makes me so mad, because adoption costs so much money when there are so many children that need homes and people dont have the 15-20(or more) thousands of dollars just to fork over to lawyers who have made a mint off of human bodies that need a good life.
I want nothing for free i work and my husband works,but people are getting so greedy with everything anymore its just sad..now i well get off of my soapbox and i know how hard it is at that age to get them to do anything that they dont want to do. my duaghter is 2 and i try to give her a option either well do this or well do that, so after he gets older it might be easier. im sorry that im not much help but i just wanted to say kudos to you i know how you feel! thanks for letting me vent.
We had the same problems as you describe including the NICU experience. I know you say you had the surgery at 3 and evidently no problems after. Some kids though have to have the surgery redone every 5 - 10 years to realign the eyes. Also when they do surgery they do it on BOTH eyes. He also may not see any better with the glasses on or maybe even worse which is another reason he refuses to wear them. We decided to not do surgery and to go the Vision Therapy route. Our daughter still wears glasses but can actually see out of both eyes. Surgeons will tell you it's a muscle problem and advocates of vision therapy will tell you that you also need to retrain the brain. For vision therapy you need to see a Developmental Optometrist. I don't know where you live but there is an excellent Dr. that has offices in Baton Rouge, La. and also Lafayette, La. Her name is Dr. Susan Jong. I won't lie,vision therapy is not a quick fix and requires work on your part everyday but can avoid the need for surgery. It is really a personal choice. Good Luck whichever you choose.
Occulotherapy is the other option for crossed eyes...it does not require surgery or glasses. A good Occulotherapist can make the exercises fun for a 13 month old and you can do the therapy at home, as well, as a game.
V. in AL
J.,
I don't know any 13 month olds who like their faces wiped, cleaned or messed with at all. Take the glasses one day at a time. If your son truely is far sited then he will quickly realize that the glass are what make him see better and he will wear them.
Try just having him wear them for short periods of time. 30 min several times a day and work up to wearing them all the time.
The glasses really are for his own good. wouldn't you perfur
he wear the glassed to fix his crossed eyes rather than him have to go through surgery.
please don't take this the wrong way but you sound like you are already made up your mind that the glasses are not going to work befor really trying to work with your son to get him to wear them.
best of luck to you
A.
Does he have a favorite character like Superman or Spiderman? Both of their "alter-egos" wear glasses. Perhaps make it a game. Get him a superhero costume and have him wear his glasses when in regular clothes and then let him take them off only when dressed in his superhero costume (would work great with spiderman pyjamas)
