Advice needed please - how do we get an 18 month old to keep an eye patch on?

I'm very sorry to read about your Grandson Ellcee, a very worrying time for you all.
I'm surprised that the Health Visitor didn't pick up on this sooner and don't mums take babies to clinics anymore?

As for keeping the eyepatch on him, have you considered making it a game and everyone in the household wearing one while he's around? The spectacles are another matter altogether as I've no experience of a child so young having to wear them

However, I hope you all manage to get the little man to conform, it would be dreadful for him to lose his sight.

Thanks for your response H1954. We hadn't thought of making a game of it and will definitely give your suggestion a go. The health visitor never visited because of covid and there were no clinics for the same reason, I assume. I don't think he was even weighed during his first year apart from straight after he wad born! He had his 8 week check with the GP who disregarded my daughters concerns about his eye. They even refused to weigh him because that's the health visitors job!
Thanks again for your suggestion. It might just distract him trying to get the patches off the rest of us!

You can get pirate dolls and maybe put one on teddy or other soft toys too.
I sense bulk buying of eye patches coming on. Good luck.

Bless the little fellow, I hope his eyesight is preserved. I would agree that a pirate game is the best option. It could be hard work but will be worth it if he complies. But difficult to keep the game going all the time though. Did you ask the eye clinic if they have a way of doing this with such a young child?
Ultimately, you need to do whatever it takes to preserve his eyesight, even if it means getting angry and forcing him into submission. His eyesight is the most important thing here, he will get over hurt feelings but will not get over losing his eyesight.

Jaxjacky

You can get pirate dolls and maybe put one on teddy or other soft toys too.
I sense bulk buying of eye patches coming on. Good luck.

Good point JaxJacky ?. And I'm sure the OP might be able to get some cheap sunglasses for teddy, just push out the dark lenses and hey presto! ?

It takes about 15 mins for the brain to make the unpatched eye focus. You need to distract for the first 15 mins with something that does not need focus, singing, dancing being outside is easier. Do not try to make him look at things during that time, he will remove the patch to be able to see.

The Children in Needs (BBC) has a lovely logo of a teddy with an eye patch.
Could you do something similar for some of his toys?
Let us know how things progress.

Thanks so much for your suggestions. Unfortunately the eye clinic gave no advice on how to get him to comply although my daughter has asked on each visit.
At his age he's really too young to understand why it's necessary and we can't explain it to him. He just knows he can't see very well and has an easy solution in taking the patch off.
It's interesting that the brain takes 15 mins to focus the unpatched eye - thanks for that info Elisabeth27. I'm not sure if my daughter is aware of that.
I'll pass all this on and select a few toys at my house for eye patch treatment and see if it helps. Thanks again everyone.

I hve seen small toddler with glasses on that had a band of some sort on the end of ear pieces that went round back of head, if that makes sense.... occupy and amuse him while the patch is on. all been said i suppose.

I googled your problem and hope this helps.......
forlittleeyes.com/

ABOUT
Welcome to For Little Eyes!!
Glasses are not the worst thing that your kid may need to deal with, not by a long shot, but as we faced getting glasses for our children, we found ourselves wishing there were some way to connect with other parents who have dealt or are dealing with with a variety of situations involving small children with very expensive (and breakable!) equipment on their faces. And so, For Little Eyes was formed.

For Little Eyes is a community for parents of children in glasses, contacts, or patches, or other vision aids regardless of diagnosis. It is aimed at parents of younger children, though any one is welcome! All posts are written by parents (unless otherwise specified). The site offers stories, news, helpful tips, and a chance for families to connect with others who are facing similar issues.

Thanks lemsip. I'll have a look at the website & pass the details onto my daughter. I'm sure it would help to be in touch with parents in a similar position.

Echoing the pirate idea. My brother had to wear a patch as a toddler and we all had eye patches and pirate hats to help him keep it on. I think he had a blow up parrot too!!

One idea is to play the baby’s favourite games during patching at first, especially multi sensory stuff that keep his hands busy.
It doesn’t matter what he’s doing... even having a lovely bath.
It’s an awful sensation being patched at first, because the child feels blinded, but really worth persevering with. Good luck!

My son had to wear an eye patch when about 15 months old after a bad case of meningitis affected his eye. He also tried to take it off so the hospital used huge plasters which covered most of his little face - I can’t find a photo of him but he looked pathetic! The plaster stuck so firmly it could only be removed by soaking it in warm water for a long time or by using a special liquid given to us by the nurses.

Although it seemed cruel at the time, it did save enough vision in his eye to enable him to wear regular glasses from aged three. By that time he was so used to being messed about that we had no problem keeping his glasses on using a stretchy band which joined the two arms around the back of his head.

Very helpful Teacheranne and confirms what I said about having to do whatever it takes. Obviously you should try the pirate games and gentle approach as that is the best, but if it doesn't work then other measure have to be taken. Hopefully not, but the patch has to go on one way or another. 'For Little Eyes' website sounds perfect and I hope there are some good suggestions there.

When my youngest brother had to wear an eye patch we all had to wear one too. It seemed to work.

My youngest was about three when she started wearing glasses. She wore ones with My Little Pony logo which encouraged her to wear them. The biggest problem was her putting them down at school leading to searches.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the responses. I absolutely agree that it has to be done one way or another. The forlittle eyes website does look good with stories of patching children of a similar age. I've passed all of your suggestions onto my daughter and I'll help wherever I can. Hopefully she will find something that works.

Let us know how it goes and what works! ?

Playing pirates and giving teddy an eye patch, plus wearing one yourself ought to help.

A word of warning: if you find only using one eye is affecting your balance then cheat - either by only using dark glasses or by combining them with an eye patch that actually is see-through for yourself.

When I was little those blasted eye patches were made of elasoplast so we could not get them off ourselves.

If the little one gets tired of pirates - try combining his eye patch with a face mask suitable for a monster, or a spaceman or with swimming goggles so he can turn into a really scary Monster. Remember to be scared of him!

You can make glasses for teddies and dolls out of florist's wire and thin plastic or cellophane for the lenses.

Lord Nelson wore an eye patch, so did Moshe Dayan and King Christian IV of Denmark - no need to tell your grandson that they had all lost an eye - just that they were brave men, all three.

I have attached a copy of the painting of the king at the battle where he lost an eye - most of the others I could find via google showed him with both his eyes intact.

Nelson holding the telescope to his blind eye at the Battle of Copenhagen should be easier to find, and Dayan even easier!

Thank you everyone. You're all so lovely to take the time to help! Some great suggestions too!