Is Your Child Colorblind?

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

11 Jun 2009 11:13 AM

Color Blindness is an inherited condition that affects more boys than girls. It can be important to diagnose this condition early, since being color blind can affect how well a young child does in preschool.

Preschool is all about colors. Not only are there the names of the colors to learn, but teachers use color in so many different lessons. A counting worksheet, for example, may have instructions to point to three green things. A preschool teacher may ask children to count out four red cars or draw a blue circle on paper.

If your child cannot differentiate between colors, then he or she is at a disadvantage when it comes to early learning. If your child is diagnosed with color blindness, then the teacher can be informed and your child can learn different ways to get around the condition and adapt. A child who is struggling with preschool lessons because he is having trouble telling different shades from one another may give up on learning or act out in the classroom. A young child who has never been able to see colors probably won't know enough to understand why he is having so much trouble in school.

Testing for color vision is normally not part of a routine exam, although my particular pediatrician's office does test for this around age five. You can request testing earlier, if you notice that there might be a problem. The test consists of showing your child a simple picture made up of colored dots. A child with normal color vision will be able to see an object, number or letter inside the picture, while a child who is colored blind will not.

What are some signs at home that your child may be color blind? Not being able to tell red from brown or red from green. Confusing the names of black and brown can be pretty common and is more a matter of language development in young children than a sign of color blindness.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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