Child Growth & Vision Development

Growth & Development

• Infants start with immature nervous systems, evident in their leg movements.
• Gross and fine motor skills develop as the child grows.
• Communication skills improve over time.

Vision

• Newborn vision is blurry, with acuity at 20/200 or 20/400.
• Two months old, infants can track moving objects.
• Seven months old, infants demonstrate depth perception.
• By 5-6 years old, vision usually reaches 20/20.
• Myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness) require corrective lenses.
• Astigmatism causes blurry or distorted vision at any distance.
• Strabismus, or crossed eyes, need treatment including patching or surgery.
• Corrected vision might still mean legally blind/partial sight.
• Children rely on other senses to navigate in these conditions.

Vision (Continued)

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye) can be bacterial or viral.
• Bacterial pink eye has yellow/green discharge and itching in one eye that can spread.
• Viral pink eye has clear or white discharge and itching in one eye. An allergic reaction can cause both eyes to itch, have discharge and be watery.
• A foreign object in the eye can cause the eye to be red, watery, and irritated.
• Bacterial infection is a stye.
• Treatment includes antibiotics and warm compresses.

Hearing

• Hearing is usually intact at birth.
• Hearing tests are conducted after birth.
• Conductive hearing loss is often reversible, due to blockages such as earwax or fluid.
• Sensorineural hearing loss is not reversible.
• Causes or medications can damage hearing.
• Acute otitis media (ear infection) causes irritability, fever, decrease in appetite.
• Children might shake their head or pull at their ears.
• Signs include pain when laying down due to fluid buildup.
• Diagnosis involves checking the eardrum appearance.
• Treatment involves antibiotics and monitoring for complications.

Reye's Syndrome

• Often appears after a viral infection, potentially following an aspirin ingestion.
• Involves damage to the brain and liver.
• Characterized by severe vomiting, irritability, and confusion.
• Requires supportive care in a hospital intensive-care unit, often monitoring intracranial pressure.
• Avoid administering aspirin to children under age 19, especially during or following a viral infection.

Seizures

• Seizures are abnormal electrical activity in the brain, leading to involuntary movements and other symptoms.
• Acute febrile seizures occur with fever and can be seen in children aged 6 months to 3 years old
• Seizure disorders involve repeated seizures, and can be categorized as focal onset or generalized.
• Partial seizures affect one side of the brain, and a person may experience muscle jerking, eye blinking, or lip smacking. The person does not typically lose consciousness.
• Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain simultaneously. The person usually loses consciousness.
• Seizure types & characteristics including those related to known symptoms like, absence, atonic, & myoclonic are discussed.
• Acute seizures and seizure disorders like epilepsy are also discussed.

Nursing Care (Seizures)

• Ensure a safe environment during seizures.
• Monitor vital signs.
• Watch and monitor the seizures.
• Administer medications (as directed) to control seizures.
• Provide patient & family education before and after seizure to prevent harm.

Other Diseases

• Information on cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, and various types of infections, including meningitis, is also present. Information is not comprehensive, but important areas are included.
• Information regarding symptoms, diagnosis, complications, nursing considerations, and treatment options are also provided for each disease
• Specific details on conjunctivitis, hearing loss, eye conditions (strabismus, myopia etc) are included.

Common Questions

• Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) relating to various medical conditions discussed in the notes are included.