Some things are never too early to test for

With the birth of a new baby, every mother experiences the emotional roller coaster of sheer joy and nagging fear. For the duration of 9 + mos prior to the delivery, we take all the necessary steps to ensure good health and early detection of illness via the ultrasounds, monthly blood work for the labs, and prenatal vitamins.

When I gave birth to both of my children, one of my first thoughts and first words were; "is the baby healthy?" I was concerned about their little bodies functioning properly, and like any mother in the labor and delivery room I was relieved to hear the doctor give the children a clean bill of health.

Imagine my fears though, when my 2 month old daughter began to display what looked to me like signs of a vision problem. I tried to push my fears aside, telling myself it was just my imagination, but my husband and I could no longer keep those thoughts at bay after a well care checkup with her pediatrician revealed similar concerns. After a follow up visit, it appeared that my daughter's symptoms began to dissipate and she no longer concerned the doctor and therefore did not require any further testing. What a relief!

Reflecting on my own personal experience in dealing with a possible vision problem in the past with my infant, it is no wonder that I felt it was a privilege to help spread the word about the ENFANT PEDIATRIC VEP VISION TESTING SYSTEM.

The ENFANT PEDIATRIC VEP VISION TESTING SYSTEM is a unique and non-invasive pediatric vision test that can be given to children as young as 6 months! With the utilization of the Enfant system, Doctors are able to test for various vision problems such as amblyopia(commonly known as lazy eye), optic nerve disorders, and refractive errors. Which I believe is wonderful, considering the fact that vision disorders are the fourth most common disability among children in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Although this device can be used on children of all ages, the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics is that "Children should have routine vision screenings starting at six months of age" ( I know, I was surprised to learn that as well). I bet you are wondering, "how can my baby, who cannot speak be tested for vision deficits?" This is what I think is so cool about this device! It uses Visual Evoked Potential to discover the deficits. This is done by evaluating the child's response to an external stimulus along the entire visual pathway from the lens of the eye to the visual cortex of the brain, thereby not requiring a verbal response. Click HERE to see a video on this.

Here is a list of some important facts regarding the ENFANT PEDIATRIC VEP VISION TESTING SYSTEM:

• Utilizes clinically proven, FDA- approved technology


• Delivers a 97% sensitivity in detecting visual deficits where and when they exist.


• Provides immediate, on-site test results in simple, pass/fail format


• Requires no dilation or sedation for maximum patient safety.


• Features child-friendly animated characters and graphics accompanied by music.


• Can be completed in five to seven minutes, contributing to a more than 90% test completion rate.


• Is currently utilized by more than 250 pediatric practices, and is easily Incorporated into a child's regular well care visit.


• Stimulates the vision system with a specific pattern to elicit electrical signals to the visual cortex of the brain.


• Uses objective, statistical analysis to assess the child's neurological response to the stimuli, and compares the two eyes to determine if asymmetries are present.


• If asymmetries are present, the patient is referred to an eye care specialist for further evaluation.

To learn about some of the more subtle warning signs of vision problems in young children, an online vision assessment quiz has been created at http://www.freevisionquiz.com/ . The quiz is simple and only takes a few minutes (really) to complete. I took the quiz and I would like to encourage you to take it too. If after taking this brief quiz, you have been made aware that there are areas in which there is a potential vision problem with your child please know further assistance is not out of reach. There are 21 states from which you may locate a pediatric office performing the VEP testing. Go to http://www.enfantvision.com/ to find your local office.

So, if you are a concerned parent (and I know you are), remember that early intervention and detection is vital for healthy vision. Help spread the word!