What Buddy Can See

Having a baby keeps you very busy!  We had Buddy's first functional vision assessment 10 days ago.  The specialist/interventionist used toys and objects that were bright or shiny and some that made a little bit of noise to catch his attention.  She found that he can see and track bright and shiny objects about a foot to a foot and a half from his face, and he only has vision in the upper range.  This means that he really only sees objects that are above his nose.

We are very excited that he can see this well.  The specialist said that many children with vision problems do not develop their lower vision until they are several years old, but for Buddy, it is still a possibility.

The specialist also brought goggles for my husband and I to try so that we could see what Buddy's vision is like and what it will possibly be like as he develops.  I'm glad she did, because I feel better now.  I had wondered if it would be like he was looking through a frosted glass window or something, but instead it was just blurry.

We also met with a representative from the Early Steps program.  She did a questionnaire with us about Buddy's development so far.  Because he does not see us when we are not very close to him, he scored low in the interpersonal skills areas.  Hopefully they will be able to work with him on this.  The good news is that he interacts with us when we are close to him, and he can hear us even when he can't see us.  I talk to him on the phone when I am at work, and he definitely knows it's me!  We will go and have a total assessment of Buddy's development on April 4th. 

In the meantime, I am trying to incorporate foods into my diet that an eye doctor said might help Buddy's eyes.  Unfortunately, the list of foods is:  Alaskan Salmon, Kale, Spinach, and Goji berries.  I don't really think I like any of the first three things.  I had never had goji berries, and I thought, "Berries don't sound so bad..."  They are not easy to find, and very expensive.  We paid over $13 for two cups of dried goji berries.  They ARE sun-dried, certified organic, and vegan.  They also have a very interesting flavor, which took some getting used to.  I figured I probably needed to find some alternative means for getting these nutrients, so tonight, I will be trying salmon.  It is currently marinating in brown sugar and soy sauce, waiting for the Buddy daddy to get home from work.  I have also been looking at recipes to find ways to use the very large bag of kale that I have in my refrigerator.

Talk to you soon!