The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recommending that children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as spina bifida and cerebral palsy, be checked for vision problems.

An AAP announcement in April called vision care “one of the greatest unmet needs for children with special health care needs. In addition, infants and toddlers who are socially at risk with functional vision difficulties make up one of the highest subgroups of developmental vulnerability.”

The AAP urged pediatricians to include vision checks as part of their examinations of children with neurodevelopmental issues. Clinicians taking a medical history for such a child should ask specifically about vision problems, the AAP added.

Failure to detect and treat vision abnormalities can impact the child’s ability to fully participate in life, the AAP announcement said.

“Pediatricians should have a low threshold for sending a child with a neurodevelopmental disability for full ophthalmologic evaluation if there are any concerns about vision or if the child has a medical condition in which there is a significant risk of ocular abnormalities or visual conditions,” the announcement said.