Did you know that the visual system is one of the last senses to fully develop in children? As a parent, understanding how vision evolves from birth can help you provide the right stimulation to ensure healthy visual development for your child. In fact, something as simple as hanging a black and white mobile in your baby’s crib can have a profound impact on their developing vision!
The Importance of Sensory Integration in Early Development
Dr. Rick Graebe FCOVD, a developmental optometrist based in Versailles, Kentucky, emphasizes the role of sensory integration in early childhood. Sensory integration is the process where children learn to coordinate their senses, such as touch, movement, and sight, to make sense of the world around them. “The worst thing for a small child is confinement,” says Dr. Graebe. “Floor time, where children move their arms, legs, and touch everything they see, builds body awareness and helps them know where they are in space.”
When babies and toddlers have the freedom to explore their surroundings, they develop essential motor skills that link directly to their visual system. Encouraging movement and interaction with their environment during this time is crucial for visual and sensory development.
The Four Stages of Visual System Development
To understand how vision develops in children, it’s helpful to break down the process into four key stages:
- Motor/Movement Stage (Newborns): At birth, a baby’s macula, the part of the eye responsible for sharp, central vision, is not fully developed. Babies don’t truly “see” in the way adults do. Instead, their eyes respond to light, shapes, and movement. At this stage, babies learn about objects through taste – by putting them in their mouth.
- Motor/Visual Stage (2 Years Old): By the age of two, touch becomes the dominant sense. At this stage, children use their eyes to follow objects as they touch and interact with them. This stage is all about building a strong connection between the sense of touch and vision.
- Visual/Motor Stage (3 Years Old): Now, the process reverses. Eyes guide the body and lead to learning. Children see something first, and then their body follows. This is the stage where visual learning takes precedence over touch.
- Visual/Language Stage (4+ Years Old): As children grow older, they develop the ability to create mental images, fostering creativity and imagination. At this stage, vision becomes more complex, helping to connect what they see with language. Children begin to describe things based on the images they create in their minds, such as picturing what their favorite toy or a family car looks like without seeing it.
This development is crucial for success in school, where a child’s ability to read, write, and perform other visual tasks depends heavily on a fully developed visual system. But when the system hasn’t developed properly, challenges can arise.
How Vision Therapy Can Help
Dr. Graebe highlights that for some children, the visual system doesn’t develop as smoothly as it should, which can result in struggles in the classroom. “When a child needs therapy, it’s really about creating an environment where the brain has a meaningful experience,” he explains. Vision Therapy, a type of physical therapy for the eyes, brain, and body, can help correct developmental delays in the visual system.
At the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute, with locations in Versailles and Somerset, Kentucky, Dr. Graebe and his team work closely with children who need additional support for their visual development. In this feedback-rich environment, children experience activities that help retrain their visual and sensory systems. Time and again, Vision Therapy has helped students unlock their full potential, improving not only their academic performance but their overall well-being.
Schedule a Pediatric Eye Exam Today
If you’re concerned about your child’s visual development or notice they’re struggling in school, Vision Therapy may be the answer. At the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute, we specialize in identifying and addressing developmental vision issues in children. With locations in Versailles serving the greater Lexington area and Somerset, we’re one of the few pediatric specialty practices in Central and Southern Kentucky.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rick Graebe FCOVD, call us at 859-879-0089. Let us help your child achieve their best vision and reach their full potential.
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This blog is based on information from Dr. Rick Graebe as compiled and written by John Lynch.