Anyone else work with children as young as preschool? I work in a school with children as young as 3 years old through 6th grade. I use to work in a High School. I LOVE High school, but in the best interest of my Daughter I had to switch to a school where hours are better. Finding before school care for school age children that open early enough in my area is incredibly hard.
Anyway, preschool-6th grade is growing on me. However, something I truly struggle with and feel extremely uncomfortable with is getting vision and hearing exams on the younger children.
They either do not cooperate or they simply can’t read the chart. Even just the symbol chart, and tumbling E chart.
With hearing they will not sit still or won’t follow directions. I will tell them when they hear the noise to clap their hands.
Anyone have any ideas/tips? I’m sure the school psychologist is starting to think I am not doing the exams when I told her I attempted, but was not able to get cooperation or they was unable to do so. I do try. ?
Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..
I recommend having your PK and KG teachers work with the little ones. When I've done elementary school, I would make a copy of the HOTV chart and cards and give them to the PK and KG teachers and ask that they work with the kids to teach matching and following directions (raise your hand when you hear the sound).
I also tell them to work with them to learn their full name, grade, and bonus points for teacher's name and room number.
I work exclusively with preschoolers and we do our hearing and vision screenings during their Early Childhood screenings when we check for cognitive, speech, behavioral and emotional challenges.
For the vision screening we use the LEA charts (house, circle, square and heart pictures) and have them point to the picture that matches if they are too shy to actually talk to me.
For hearing it's really hit or miss. It's not uncommon for us to have to schedule a rescreen for them to try again. I try to look for any reaction to the tones (a sideways glance, turning their heads, etc) or I ask the child to give mom or dad (or whoever brought them to the screening) a high five when they hear the tone. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN
1,019 Posts
I recommend having your PK and KG teachers work with the little ones. When I've done elementary school, I would make a copy of the HOTV chart and cards and give them to the PK and KG teachers and ask that they work with the kids to teach matching and following directions (raise your hand when you hear the sound).
I also tell them to work with them to learn their full name, grade, and bonus points for teacher's name and room number.