Vision & Hearing Screening

Annual Vision & Hearing Screening at School

Mount Vernon School District conducts vision and hearing screenings every autumn for students in the following grades: Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7.

We also screen students in any grade if teachers or parents report difficulties with vision or hearing.

Students who appear to have vision or hearing loss at screening will receive a letter from the school referring your child to a doctor for a more in-depth examination. Letters are usually sent home before winter break.

Vision

How can I tell if my child has vision loss?

When certain visual skills have not developed, or are poorly developed, learning is difficult and stressful. A child may not tell you that he or she has a vision problem because they may think the way they see is the way everyone sees. Children will typically attempt to do the work, but with a lowered level of comprehension or efficiency.

Signs that may indicate a child has a vision problem include:

  • Complaints of discomfort and fatigue.

  • Frequent eye rubbing, blinking, or squinting.

  • Short attention span.

  • Avoiding reading and other close activities.

  • Frequent headaches.

  • Covering one eye.

  • Tilting the head to one side.

  • Holding reading materials close to the face.

  • An eye turning in or out.

  • Seeing double.

  • Losing place when reading.

  • Difficulty remembering what he or she read.

https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-health-for-life/school-aged-vision?sso=y

I think my child may have vision loss.

What should I do?

  1. Make a doctor’s appointment. Your child’s pediatrician can perform simple vision screening and help you find and eye doctor.


  1. Make an eye doctor appointment. All children should have an eye exam by an eye doctor before entering kindergarten, and every year after that.

Hearing

How can I tell if my child has hearing loss?

  1. Turning the volume up - does your child need the volume turned up on the TV or radio when others can hear it easily?

  2. Responding inappropriately to questions - does your child’s answer make you pause and wonder why they said that?

  3. Not replying when their name is called - does this happen when your child is not distracted by their surroundings or activities?

  4. Watching others to imitate what they are doing - does your child wait until others initiate action after receiving instructions?

  5. Experiencing academic difficulties - Are there struggles with homework or behavior issues at school?

  6. Complaining of ear pain or head noise - does your child say their ears hurt or they hear ringing or buzzing in their head?

  7. Asking teachers or others to repeat themselves - does your child consistently ask "What?" or "Say that again"?

  8. Starting to speak differently than children their same age - is your child’s language development lagging behind their peers?

Some of these signs may just be part of being a kid, but when you begin to see patterns and consistency it could indicate your child may not be hearing as well as they should.

http://blog.amplifonusa.com/how-to-recognize-hearing-loss-in-your-child-0


For more information, please visit the

CDC’s webpage on Hearing Loss in Children (English and Spanish)

I think my child may have hearing loss.

What should I do?

  1. Make a doctor’s appointment. Your child’s pediatrician can perform simple hearing screening.

  2. If hearing loss is suspected, they will refer you to a specialist who can do more in-depth testing of your child’s hearing.