Children with autism may experience problems relating to their vision. While you should take your child to see an optician if they are having difficulty with their sight, you may notice that your child is experiencing other vision related problems.

What is visual processing?

Visual processing is the brain selecting and responding appropriately to visual input. This requires effective visual processing and eye movements.

Problems you may see

• Limited eye contact
• Use their finger when reading
• Repeatedly lose their place when copying from the boards
• Struggle to judge distances and bump in to furniture
• Distracted by pictures and people within the room
• Cover their eyes to shield from florescent lighting
• Complain of headaches, rub eyes or squint

Strategies to help

• Use a marker to help them with reading
• Use a typo scope when reading (cut out a window in a piece of card to show only what is needed to be read)
• Provide a quiet, soft, comfortable corner or tent that children can use as needed. It should be softly lit and filled with pillows and soft blankets.
• When outdoors or in busy environments allow your child to wear a floppy hat or sunglasses to cut down on visual stimuli

Children with autism may struggle with their depth of field, concentration and brightly lit environments. To combat this, there are some techniques you can employ to improve their sense of wellbeing. Please arrange an appointment if you have any concerns relating to your child’s development.