KINGSFORD — The Dickinson-Iron District Health Department will provide free hearing and vision screenings for preschool and school-age children at clinics throughout the summer.

Children ages 3 to 18 are encouraged to attend, including those who missed screenings previously offered at their day care or school, as well as homeschooled students.

Michigan Law requires that children entering school be tested for hearing and vision problems before enrollment. In addition, health care professionals encourage young children to be screened to detect problems at an early age. School vision screening programs have demonstrated that too frequently children enter school with vision defects.

Some serious defects cannot be corrected at school-age while treatment in the preschool years can be highly successful. Preschoolers are tested for clearness of vision, muscle balance, and any obvious symptoms of eyesight problems. Five to 10% of preschoolers screened may be referred to a professional eye care specialist for further examination.

Hearing loss is a common problem. A hearing problem can affect a child’s behavior or performance in the classroom. Seven in 10 children need treatment for an ear problem before they reach the age of 4. A child who has trouble hearing may hear you correctly at times, appear to ignore you at other times, or show signs of speech difficulty. Hearing screenings by a public health technician can identify hearing problems.

Call the DIDHD to schedule an appointment for screenings at 906-774-1868 for Dickinson County residents or 906-265-9913 for Iron County residents.