What to do if your six-month-old baby crosses his eyes

Some babies are born with crossed eyes. When they look at something, the eyeballs of their left and right eyes will move closer to the middle. The condition does not improve until they are 6 months old. The family members are very worried, fearing that the baby will also be crossed eyes when he grows up. Some people say that no treatment is needed, while others say that you must go to the hospital for treatment. Crossed eyes are what people usually call "cross-eyed", and in medicine it is called "esotropia".

1. Most of the baby's eye problems are physiological phenomena

Compared with adults, the bridge of a baby's nose looks much flatter. This is because the nasal bones have not yet fully developed. This makes the skin between the eyes look much wider, covering most or all of the inner white part of the eyeballs. As a result, the baby looks "cross-eyed", also known as pseudoesotropia, which is a type of false cross-eyes. In addition, in the first few months after birth, some of the muscles that regulate eye movement are not fully developed, and the ability of both eyes to coordinate movements is poor. The baby's eyes also seem to be less flexible, which makes the mother doubt the baby's eyes. Generally, after 2-3 months, the baby's ability to focus both eyes will be well developed.

2. How to tell if the baby's eyes are crossed

They say that babies’ eyes will get better when they grow up? So how big should it be? Generally speaking, after 6 months, the baby's ability to focus on objects with both eyes improves and strabismus will no longer occur. If there is no improvement after 6 months, see a doctor immediately. However, this does not mean that if the baby still has cross-eyes after 6 months, it is definitely true cross-eyes. Further examination by an ophthalmologist is needed for diagnosis. Parents can also do a simple test on their babies at home. The specific method is: let the baby lie flat, and the adult picks up an object at random, and moves it left and right at a distance of more than 40 cm from the baby's eyes for the baby to look at. If the white of the baby's eye can still be seen on the inside of the baby's eyeball at this time, it means that the baby's eyes are not "cross-eyed".

3. How to correct baby's crossed eyes

1. Multi-angle hanging toys

Do not hang toys in a fixed place on the crib, and change the position frequently. The brightly colored decorations in the baby's room should also be changed frequently to prevent the child from always staring at one place.

2. Change sleeping positions frequently

You should let your baby always sleep on one side, and the mother should often help the baby change position, sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right. This can change the direction of light projection frequently, and can make the baby's eyes turn to more than one side, thus avoiding strabismus.

3. Let your baby move his eyes frequently

Do not leave your baby in a crib or stroller all day. It is best to take your baby outdoors and walk around more often, allowing your baby to look at different things. A curious baby will move his eyes constantly, which helps enhance the coordination of the eye muscles and nerves and avoid strabismus.