how do I get a 3 yo to wear her eye patch for more then 5 minutes?

Question

i have a 3 yo with strabismis the only thing that will help her right now is to wear a eye patch, she puts it on herself and we all tell her how great she looks and then she goes in the laundry room and takes it off within 5 minutes,what can i do?

Answer 1

Ok: first, what kind of patch are you using?



As someone said, a 'pirate' patch does not provide enough occlusion- but as a temporary measure, it'll work.



Stick-on patches, on the other hand, are an utter nightmare. They're sweaty and your eyelashes always poke the pad and they're never comfortable to remove- no wonder a three year old will want to peel them off.



What're other options?



The first one, which I suggest the most, is buying a http://www.framehuggers.com/ framehugger. Basically, these are soft occluding patches that go onto the glasses and provide a good seal with all the comfort of a pirate patch. Combined with a cord holding the glasses on her head (like the kind used for sports- your optical shop should definately have them for 5$ or so), it can be a very good option that helps ensure a little more compliance.



Another option, which again requires some method of attempting to secure the glasses on her, like a cord, is using occluding foils- basically 'clear' foils that occlude the glasses to the extent where her dominant eye is essentially rendered the non-dominant eye, while still retaining a minimum amount of functionality (ability to see shape, light, ect)



Last, but not least, if all else fails, occluding contact lenses! These are pitch black like a sealed pirate patch and quite difficult for a toddler to remove. Definitely something to talk with her eye dr about once you've worked through other options.



Good luck!

Answer 2

When I was that age, I remember that I had strabismus and I had to wear an eye patch too. But I hated it, because when the good eye was covered up, I couldn't see and really had to strain because my vision was so poor in the other eye. This is probably why she's taking the eye patch off, because it's stressful for her to go for so many hours of the day not being able to see properly. Bribery might not work, compared to how stressful it is having to strain to see. And when you have a good eye, why not just take the eye patch off? That's how a three year old would probably think.



My mom never sat me down and explained why it was so important to wear the patch. She gave up trying because I was so un-coperative. So my eye sight never improved and I had to go through my whole school life being bullied about looking cross-eyed. I've wished so many times that my mom sat me down and explained this to me. Part of me blames her for failing me in this respect. Even today as an adult, I look cross-eyed if I don't wear my contact lenses.



I work with young children as a mentor and I can tell you that some three year olds do understand some things, if you explain them in the right way. I'd sit her down and explain that even though it's hard not being able to see properly through just the one eye, wearing an eye patch is so important because it will make the other eye healthy and she doesn't want her eyes pointing in different directions as she gets older.

Answer 3

The others had some great ideas. :)



The first few days are going to be hard, especially if she sees significantly better with the eye that you're patching. Plan a fun activity to do together when she first starts wearing the patch. It could be reading a new book, baking cookies, coloring a special picture- something active and fun for your daughter.



It helps some children to be in a routine- like wearing the patch first thing in the morning and knowing it can come off after lunch (or whenever the amount of patching your doctor prescribed is up)



If you go for the whole pirate game, please make sure your daughter is wearing her sticky patch under the felt patch. (it's really easy to peek around felt patches).



If your daughter has a special stuffed animal or doll, the doll can wear a patch too.



Let her decorate some patches. You could also invite friends, neighbors, and extended family to decorate some patches for her, so they're more special.



Companies like ortopad sell cute patches. They also sell rewards posters (you can of course make your own!) that your daughter can stick the patch on if she does a good job wearing it. You can make up your own reward for filling the poster. It doesn't have to be expensive. It could be something like letting her pick what you have for dinner.



http://ortopadusa.com/sp-bin/spirit?PAGE=43



You can make up your own reward for filling the poster. It doesn't have to be expensive. It could be something like letting her pick what you have for dinner.



Some doctors may prescribe a type of plastic, like tegaderm, that goes over the patch and makes it a lot harder to peel off.



Finally, you may have to "lay down the law" like teaching your child not to touch a hot stove. You may have to be the one who is allowed to take off the patch, and not let your daughter do it herself.



Good luck!

Answer 4

My niece and nephew 3 and 5 like Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pan and play dressup as pirates, patch and all. Last Halloween they dressed up as Capt Jack Sparrow and female pirate[ cannot remember her name]. There's also another kid movie where Robin wiliams plays a pirate that they love. I also get suited up and drafted in and we all have a great time. I also suggest that the members of your family wear a patch, this will remove the strangeness and make her feel less self conscious and more comfortable wearing it. Good luck!

Answer 5

Oh, eye patches. When I had to use them you could get different designs, like funky colours and patterns. Maybe she'd feel better if you could get those instead of the plain ones? Just a thought.

Answer 6

particular, some years in the past an ambulance sped by making use of and that i finished up with fairly glass from the line caught under my eyelid. it fairly is fairly humorous fairly to think of i replaced into injured by making use of an ambulance. i replaced right into a large toddler having it bumped off and had to positioned on a watch patch for some days afterwards. i replaced into asked if i replaced right into a pirate lots too.

Answer 7

You can try telling her that it's a game. You can try wearing an eye-patch yourself and have her try to beat you. There could be a reward if she wins.

Answer 8

say she's gotta be a pirate? or bribe her with a present :)