How to use Guide four: Children three years and under
Instruction
Read on to learn how to use Guide four to help you manage vision and eye health problems in children three years and under.
Guide four: Children three years and under
It is very important to detect vision and eye health problems in children early because vision is important for a child’s development.
Guide four provides a step-by-step guide to managing vision and eye health problems in children three years and under.
It is selected when the child is aged three years or younger and did not pass the vision (fundus reflex) and/or eye health screen.
Instruction
Look at Guide four: Children three years and under.
Step 1
Instruction
If the child is under five years old, check whether the child was pre-term or low birth weight on the PEC Screen form. Select the appropriate result for the child and follow the instructions.
Result one
Yes refer to an eye health professional urgently.
Result two
No continue to the next step.
Question
Why is it important to refer pre-term or low birth weight babies urgently to an eye health professional?
Pre-term and low birth weight babies have a higher risk of vision and eye health problems. They should be referred urgently to an eye health professional for a full eye exam.
Step 2
Instruction
Check the fundus reflex result on the PEC Screen form. Select the appropriate result for the child and follow the instructions.
Result one
Healthy fundus reflex continue to the next step.
Result two
Unhealthy fundus reflex:
Continue to next step AND
Refer to eye health professional urgently.
Step 3
Instruction
Check the eye health screen result on the PEC Screen form. Select the appropriate result for the child and follow the instructions.
Result one
Child is 0-3 months old with swollen eyes and discharge:
- Advise caregiver to clean eyelashes and lids often
- Give topical antibiotic
Refer to eye health professional urgently.
Result two
Child is over 3 months old with discharge or itchy eyes:
- Advise caregiver to clean eyelashes and lids often
- Give antibiotic drops for discharge OR
- Give allergy drops for itchy eyes
If no change or worse in 3 days Refer to an eye health professional urgently.
Result three
Child has signs of another eye problem:
Refer urgently to an eye health professional.
If child has signs of measles or diarrhoea:
Complete a full health assessment to check for low vitamin A
If you are not qualified to complete a full health assessment refer to a health professional.
Activity
Meet Suhaila
Suhaila is two years old and lives with her mother, father and their dog. Suhaila’s mother took her to the local health centre because she had noticed redness and discharge from Suhaila’s right eye over the past three days. The health worker completed a primary eye care screen and found Suhaila:
- Was not a pre-term or low birth weight baby
- Has healthy fundus reflexes in both eyes
- Has redness and discharge from her right eye
- Does not have any eye swelling
- Does not have signs of measles or diarrhoea.
Use Guide four: Children three years and under to decide what actions the health worker should take to manage Suhaila’s eye health problem.
SCREENSHOT HERE?
The health worker should:
Advise Suhaila’s mother to clean her eyelashes and lids often
Give antibiotic drops for discharge
If Suhaila’s symptoms have not changed or are worse in 3 days, refer to an eye health professional urgently.
This is because Suhaila:
- Was not pre-term or low birth weight (step 1)
- Has healthy fundus reflexes (step 2)
- Is over 3 months old with discharge from her eye but no swelling, signs of measles or diarrhoea (step 3).