Signs & Symptoms of Children With Eye Tracking Problems

Eye tracking refers to the process by which the eyes follow a moving object without rotating the head. The development of fluid eye tracking occurs during childhood and affects many aspects of life. While it can sometimes be challenging to properly diagnose an eye-tracking problem, a combination of certain symptoms improves recognition of this disorder. It is important to consider all the major signs before diagnosing the problem in a child.

Short Attention Span

It is possible that some of the suspected cases of Attention Deficit Disorder today are the result of eye-tracking problems. Children with a variety of eye problems, including tracking deficiencies, exhibit behavior similar to those with ADD. When the eye cannot focus or track activity well, a child is unable to engage in the environment and might appear lazy or distracted. This symptom alone is not enough to diagnose an eye-tracking problem, but the potential connection should be considered.

In the early 2000s, researchers began investigating a link between eye-tracking deficiency in children and the prevalence of young-onset psychotic disorders, including childhood schizophrenia and other emotional disturbances. The American Psychiatric Association acknowledges this link, and the National Institute of Mental Health has sponsored a clinical trial that incorporated eye-tracking measurements in a study of glycine therapy to treat childhood psychosis. While overall understanding of the relationship between eye tracking and behavior is not entirely understood, researchers recognize the link and the need for further study.

The abilities to read, speak, and understand spoken language are all correlated with the fluidity of eye tracking. Children who demonstrate difficulties in these tasks might suffer from poor eye tracking. To a child with an eye-tracking problem, words on a page might be significantly distorted or blurry. The apparent rearrangement of letters and lines of text can also present from eye-tracking problems. This leads to reading problems and general challenges with the normal learning process. Taken alone, it is not appropriate to assume eye tracking is the cause of a learning problem, but if further examination leads to this diagnosis, a better course of therapy can be followed.