For the babysitter

Thanks for watching our kid tonight. CVI means their eyes can be healthy, but their brain has trouble making sense of what they see. A busy room, noise or being tired makes it harder.

The five things that matter tonight

1. Say your name when you come near. “Hi Sam, it’s Jess.” Faces can be hard to recognize.
2. One thing at a time. One toy out, on a plain surface. TV off while you play.
3. Wait. After you show or ask something, count to ten in your head before you help.
4. Use words, not pointing. “Your cup is by your right hand.” Not “It’s over there.”
5. Call out steps and edges. “Two steps down.” Keep the floor clear of toys.

If our child seems to see less as the night goes on, that’s normal for them. Seeing takes real effort, and it wears out. Slow down and use more words.

How to play

• Sit close and in front of them.
• Offer one toy at a time. Move it slowly to catch their eye, then hold it still and wait.
• Say what you’re doing: “I’m putting the blocks on the blanket.”
• Games with sound and touch are great: music, singing, things to squeeze or stack.
• Put toys back in the same bin. They find things by memory.

Mealtime

• Same seat, same cup, same spot.
• Say where things are: “Your sandwich is in the middle. Your cup is on the right.”
• TV off.

Stairs and getting around

• Hold hands on stairs. Count out loud: “Three steps. One, two, three. Bottom.”
• Don’t move furniture or their things.
• Outside, hold hands and describe what’s coming: “Curb in two steps. Step up.”

Bedtime

• Follow the routine the parent wrote below, in the same order.
• Don’t ask them to look at things now. Let their eyes rest. Use words and touch.

From the parent

What helps most
Favorite things and games
Signs they’re tired or upset, and what calms them
Bedtime routine
Where things are (cup, pajamas, night-light, favorite toy)
Health notes (medicines, allergies, seizure plan)
Call us if
Our phone numbers
Emergency contact