PRESCHOOL/CHILD CARE GUIDE
in a preschool-like setting. It is designed
for children up to age 6 who have been
recommended for intensive ABA services.
MONTESSORI SCHOOL
OF CEDAR LANE
preschoolmontessori.com info@cedarlanemontessori.com
Ages: 3-6; 703-560-4379
3035 Cedar Ln., Fairfax, Va.
Montessori School of Cedar Lane has been
providing over 45 years of Montessori
tradition to Northern Virginia. We offer
a complete educational and social
environment and utilize the discoveries and
methods of Dr. Montessori to help the child
develop more fully the potential within him.
MONTESSORI SCHOOL
AT GOOSE CREEK PRESERVE
goosecreekmontessori.com Ages: 16 months to 6 years
571-417-3999 42470 Rosalind St., Ashburn, Va.
MSGCP is designed to be a place
that fosters self-expression and
independence for its students, fully
equipped with child-accessible
materials that encourage children ages
16-months to 6 to explore and learn at
their own pace.
MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF MCLEAN
mcleanmontessori.org 703-790-1049
1711 Kirby Road, McLean, Va.
Ages 2 ½-12
Preschool and Elementary classes
• Foreign Languages: Spanish and
French • Science & Technology •
Drama • Music • P.E. • Computer • Art •
Transportation • Summer Program
NYSMITH SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED
nysmith.com ebalberde@nysmith.com
703-713-3332; Ages: 3 years-Grade 8.
12625 EDS Drive, Herndon, Va.
Family owned and operated since 1983,
620+ children. 1:9 teacher-student ratio,
award winning. Daily individualized reading
& math, science, computers, logic & foreign
language. Loving atmosphere with an
exciting curriculum.
PINECREST SCHOOL
pinecrestschool.org MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF NORTHERN admissions@pinecrestschool.org
VIRGINIA Ages: 3-4; 703-354-3446
msnv.org; info@msnv.org
7209 Quiet Cove, Annandale, Va.
703-992-0255 Stimulating preschool program that
Valleybrook: 3433 Rose Ln.
includes art, music and P.E. enrichment
Falls Church, Va.
classes. Special presentations, daily outside
At the Montessori School of Northern
recreation, and field trips included.
Virginia, we want the delight of discovery
Before- & after-care until 6 p.m. Nurturing
to last a lifetime. MSNV provides authentic
curiosity, confidence and a love of learning
Montessori education for children ages 2-12. since 1957.
From Preprimary through Elementary, our
learning environment is designed to directly
benefit social, emotional, physical and
intellectual development.
RESTON MONTESSORI SCHOOL
restonmontessori.com office@restonmontessori.com
703-481-2922 ; Ages: 3 months-
Grade 6
1928 Isaac Newton Sq. West
Reston, Va.
Established in 1986, Reston Montessori
School is a private, co-educational school
for children from 3 months through
6th grade.
SUNSET HILLS MONTESSORI SCHOOL
sunsethillsmontessori.com office@sunsethillsmontessori.com
703-476-7477 Ages: 18 months-13 years
11180 Ridge Heights Road, Reston, Va.
At SHMS we are committed to recognizing
and cultivating the uniqueness of each
individual child. We have a community of
educators, and wonderful families, that
have chosen SHMS because of a shared
vision for early childhood and elementary
education. ■
Parenting isn’t easy, but there
are strategies that can help.
Find support and resources
at familytreemd.org/flip
or our 24-hour Parenting
HelpLine at 800-243-7337.
44 WashingtonFAMILY
NOVEMBER 2019
HEALTHY FAMILY
Healthy Eyes
for School
BY IRENE MYERS-THOMPSON
W ith school back in full swing,
it is an ideal time to get your
child’s eyes checked.
Good eye health is important, in part
because 80 percent of what children learn is
through their eyes, according to the Ameri-
can Optometric Association. The AOA rec-
ommends that a child’s first comprehensive
eye exam should occur between 6 months
and 12 months, again at age 3 and before
entering school at age 5 or 6.
However, despite these recommen-
dations, more than one-third of Ameri-
cans incorrectly believe children should
receive a first comprehensive eye exam
at age 5 or later, according to a recent
UnitedHealthcare survey.
The inability to see clearly can affect
a child’s physical, emotional and social
development, which in turn can affect aca-
demic and athletic performance and, ulti-
mately, self-esteem. Many times children
are unaware and won’t complain if their
vision isn’t normal, so it’s important to look
for possible signs of vision problems. Also,
it’s important to remember that a school’s
vision screening is not a substitute for a
comprehensive eye exam. Vision screen-
ings at school usually focus on measuring
acuity levels and can miss common condi-
tions such as poor eye alignment, focusing
problems and farsightedness.
As you take care of your child’s school
shopping, any needed immunizations and
more, schedule an appointment for your
child to receive a comprehensive eye exam-
ination, especially if he or she experiences
any of the following:
• Difficulty hitting or catching a ball: If
your child regularly misses or drops the
ball, it’s possible that vision impairment
might be affecting hand-eye coordina-
tion. This could also be due to a lazy
eye, otherwise known as amblyopia.
Amblyopia is when one eye is favored
over the other, which can affect depth
perception, making it difficult to assess
objects in front of you.
• Squinting while reading or watching
television: Ask your child if the text
or screen is blurry or if reading gives
them a headache. A “yes” answer could
indicate an underlying vision problem.
• Issues watching 3D movies: 3D movies
require eyes to work together as a team
to process information, so difficulty
viewing 3D content can be a sign of
underlying vision issues. After watch-
ing a 3D movie, look to see if your child
feels any discomfort or dizziness or is
unable to process 3D content.
Also, watch for digital eye strain, which is
caused by prolonged use of computers, smart-
phones and tablets, can cause symptoms such
as sore, tired, watery or dry eyes, headache
or sore neck, shoulder or back. Help your
child practice healthy vision habits by keep-
ing computer screens at least 30 inches away
from their eyes, resting their eyes every 20
minutes and blinking frequently to avoid dry
eyes. Practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 min-
utes, take 20 seconds and look at something
20 feet away.
In addition, a comprehensive eye exam
can uncover other health conditions not
usually associated with the eyes, includ-
ing multiple sclerosis, diabetes, high blood
pressure, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis,
elevated cholesterol and Crohn’s disease.
Make an appointment for your child
now as part of this year’s school routine.
Together with your child’s eye doctor, you
can help make sure your child is ready for
school and ready to learn.
Many times children
are unaware and won’t
complain if their vision
isn’t normal, so it’s
important to look
for possible signs of
vision problems.
Irene Myers-Thompson is the
wellness director of UnitedHealthcare
of Mid-Atlantic.
EYE EXAM: GETTY IMAGES/E+/ANDRESR;
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/SURADECH14
WashingtonFAMILY.com 45