Supporting Development

Hearing & Vision

Young children often can not tell us if they are struggling with their eyesight. Visual problems can affect their development and learning. It's important that any problems with their eyesight are identified early so they can get any treatment and support they might need.

Your baby will have a hearing test soon after they are born. This will help to find out if they have any problems with their hearing. You will also be asked whether you have concerns about your child's hearing as part of a review of your child's health. This will happen when they are 9-12 months and 2–2.5 years. A hearing test can then be arranged if its needed.

At around 4 or 5 years old, when your child may start school, they will be offered another hearing and vision check.

Vision Tests

Hearing Screening

Vision in Children

There are some signs that you can look out for in your baby or growing child that will reassure you. It will also help you understand more about how they see and when to ask for extra help.

During the first two months your baby's vision will become clearer and they will start to tell the difference between different shades. As time passes your baby will start to prefer brighter colours and more detailed patterns and shapes.

Things to look out for:
- Does your baby open their eyes and look at you?
- Do they look when you move your head side to side?
- Does your baby seem to have a “turn” in their eye?
- Think if anyone in the family had serious eye disease in childhood or a “turn” (squint)
- Have you noticed anything unusual about your babies eyes?
If you are worried about your child's eyesight contact your GP or call Just One Number.
From around 12 months your baby will be able to tell the difference between near and far. They will be able to recognise people they know approaching from a distance.

Things to look out for:
- Do they have difficulty seeing small objects?
- Do they seem to have any difficulty seeing, such as the television, recognising you across the room, bumping in to things or seeming clumsy?
- Losing interest in looking at things quickly?
If you are worried about your child's eyesight contact your GP or call Just One Number.
By the time your child is 8 years old their eye sight should be fully developed.

Things to look out for:
- Sitting close to the TV.
- Holding objects very close to their face.
- Blinking a lot.
- Eye rubbing, sore looking and complaining of sore eyes.
- One eye turning in or out.
If you are worried about your child's eyesight contact your GP or call Just One Number.
If you notice an opaque or white reflection in the pupil of the eye, a change in the colour of the iris or that a red eye reflection is missing or dulled in one eye in a photograph, see your GP as soon as possible.

Usually, this is to do with the angle of the camera and is nothing to worry about, but occasionally it can be a sign of a problem behind the eye.

If you are worried about your child's eyesight contact your GP or call Just One Number.

Hearing in Children

It is really important to find out if your child has hearing problems as early as possible because it can affect their speech and language, social skills and education. Here are some things that you can look out for:

As babies get older they will start to become more aware of their surroundings. They will start to notice sounds around them and react to loud noises. You might notice they;
- Quieten or smile to a familiar voice.
- Turn to look where a noise has come from.
- React to noises they hear often.
- Respond to their own name and words they hear a lot.
If you are concerned they are not doing any of these things speak to your GP, health visitor or ring Just One Number.
In older children, signs of a possible hearing problem can include:
- Not paying attention or concentrating.
- Not responding when their name is called.
- Talking loudly and listening to the television at a high volume.
- Difficulty spotting where a noise has come from.
- Mispronouncing words.
- A change in their progress at school.
Speak to your GP if you are concerned about your child's hearing.

Who Can Help?

If you are worried about your child’s vision you can take them to an optician for further investigation. Children do not have to be able to read letters to have their eyes examined. If you are worried about your babies vision, speak with your GP.

You can contact the Healthy Child Service team by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 or texting Parentline on 07520 631590. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays).

If your child is 11-24 years old, FYI Norfolk is an interactive NHS website just for them. It provides reliable and trustworthy advice and support on lots of health and wellbeing topics.

You can speak to other Norfolk parents and carers by clicking our online community forum below.