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Posted by: Keith ® 08/16/2004, 08:03:26 |
I have just started to notice that my 10 year old son is reacting to the sunlight. HIs eyelids flutter and his head lifts, sometimes the head does not lift though.
It is almost always when he his outside and it is bright although I did notice it once when in front of the computer screen. I have not yet visited a doctor to discuss it but decided to review the possibilities on the internet and this seemed to be consistent with what I have observed. Most of the time he is just an ordinary kid. Any opinions? |
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Posted by: Lynn Yarbrough ® 08/16/2004, 11:36:29 |
From what you describe I would guess it's photophobia, or sensitivity to bright lights. It may be caused by BEB, but is not in itself a cause of BEB. (I have had BEB for years but don't have ph'bia.) Sunglasses would probably help, at least outside. (Get cheap ones - 10yo's lose stuff like this really fast.) The primary symptom of BEB is spasmodic blinking, involving most of the muscles of the face from above the brows to the cheeks, rather than just the eyelids, and which lasts for several seconds. It's what you would look like if you tried to crack nuts with your eyelids; yet the effort is in trying to keep the eyes open, rather than shut them. --- Lynn |
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Posted by: Carol near Toronto, Canada ® 08/16/2004, 11:54:46 |
Hi Keith,
I also had the experience of seeing my son with fluttering eyes and light sensitivity as well as jaw movement, and this was after I had been diagnosed with BEB, so I was really concerned, even though BEB rarely shows up in young children. I took him to his pediatrician. My son had been taking dexedrine for Attention Deficit Disorder, and the first thing to try was stopping that. Without the dexedrine, his symptoms disappeared almost completely - he still has a little trouble when his life is stressful. So he no longer takes any medication for the ADD and is doing OK at school anyway. Carol |
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Posted by: Diane in Virginia ® 08/16/2004, 13:51:35 |
does your son have light-colored eyes, blue or green or hazel?
mine are hazel green & i've had photophobia/light sensitivity since i was a child. if he does try sunglasses, i would opt for the ones with "polarized" lenses. they cost more but are well worth it. since i invested in a pair, i found out there's just no comparison with the cheap ones. the polarized ones are much much better at reducing glare of any kind. to help your son not lose his, you can maybe get him a cool-looking sports cord that attaches to the stems & he can wear around his neck. also for his photophobia/light sensitivity, there are ways to reduce the glare from the computer screen. i could try to look them up for you & get back to you. Modified by Diane in Virginia at Mon, Aug 16, 2004, 13:53:29 |
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Posted by: Kathleen ® 08/16/2004, 15:42:46 |
It does sound like photosensitivity rather than BEB, although I'm not sure exactly what you mean by fluttering of the eyelids. For many people, BEB begins as excessive blinking of the eyes. I would recommend that you take him first to an optometrist and have an eye exam done. Sometimes photosensitivity is caused by an infection that doesn't necessarily have other signs and symptoms. The sunglasses are another good suggestion and it is a given that the lighter the eye color, the more prone we are to photosensitivity. Also, does he spend a lot of time on the computer or playing games on a TV system? The constant light flickering and movement of those can also cause photosensitivity and eye irritation. Medications, even antibiotics, can cause the eyes to become more sensitive to light, as well. Starting with an optometrist may lead to a simple diagnosis without putting him through a lot of unnecessary testing. I would also tell you, though, that if he is given a diagnosis and treatment and still seems to be having problems, take him to a neuro-ophthalomologist or neurologist for a complete work-up sooner rather than later. Almost all of us who have BEB experienced many misdiagnoses before we finally got some relief. |
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Posted by: Keith ® 08/17/2004, 06:01:48 |
Thanks for all of your replies, it is reassuring that there are people out there who are willing to help with things like this.
We are taking to the optometrist as suggested. From your feedback I think it is unlikely he has BEB and perhaps this is something related to the video games etc. At least thats a good excuse to get him reading more. Thanks again. |
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