How to Know if Your Child Has Albinism

Albinism is a hereditary condition in which the body does not produce enough of the pigment, melanin. There are several degrees of albinism. One type affects the skin, hair, and eyes. Others may not affect all three. For parents who are unsure of what to look for, here are some helpful pointers.

Look for common signs of albinism. When babies are first born, it is difficult if not impossible, to immediately diagnose albinism when one or both parents have a light skin color. It is easier to diagnose in ethnic backgrounds where both parents have normally darker skin. Albinism is a static condition, so it is not crucial to diagnose it early. If a child has albinism, they will always have it, but the condition will not worsen over time. If a baby with albinism has a head full of hair when they are born, many people will quickly notice how light and how beautiful that hair is. In extreme cases, the child's eyes may appear to be pink, but normally, they will be blue or brown.

Watch for rapid back-and-forth eye movement. In the first few months, as your child becomes aware of their surroundings, look for rapid back-and-forth movement of their eyes when they attempt to focus on objects. If you do notice this, the condition is known as nystagmus and it is one indicator of albinism. Also, you may notice that your child tilts their head to the side and looks at things from the corner of their eyes. Talk to your child's pediatrician if you notice these things. They may refer you to a pediatric ophthalmologist for further testing.

Schedule an appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist will examine the child's eyes and look for things like transillumination of the iris, decreased visual acuity, or sensitivity to light. The true test that will determine the child's vision cannot be done until they are old enough to read an eye chart, but there are tests that may be done when they are very young to find a close estimate. One test uses white rectangular boards with printed lines on one end. The doctor will test the child to see if they notice the lines when the board is suddenly presented.

Have a genetic test done. If each doctor gives a diagnosis of albinism, you can have genetic testing done to confirm their findings. The results of the genetic test will help you to know the best way to care for your child and any precautions that should be taken. If the skin, eyes, and hair are all affected, the child will need very good protection from the sun at all times and limited exposure. Children whose skin is not affected may still have problems with their vision. Reducing glare in the rooms in your home and also in classrooms when they start school will help them to remain comfortable.

Contact organizations who support individuals with albinism and also parents of children with albinism. Do some research and you will find assistance in many areas. The most important thing to do is to treat your child just like any other child because they are just like any other child. Having albinism should not prohibit them from enjoying the same things as everyone else.

NOAH - The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation

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How to Troubleshoot Photoelectric Sensors

Applications for photoelectric sensors vary as do the design and function of the photoelectric sensors themselves, but there are certain things to look for if your set of photoelectric sensors has ceased to function.

Determine what types of photoelectric sensors are being used in the application. Is there a separate sender (transmitter) and receiver arranged in a through-beam configuration so that they are looking at one another? Is it a single photoelectric device using a reflector or bouncing a beam off the objects to be detected? Look for a part number and manufacturer name on the device. Try to find data sheets for the device on the company's website. Having the data sheets will reduce much of the guesswork involved in troubleshooting.

Determine the problem. Are the photo eyes registering an output with no object present? Are they ignoring objects that they should be detecting? Does the problem happen at a certain time of day? Are there environmental influences acting upon the photo eyes?  If the photo eyes register an output when no object is present, first check the face of the eyes to be sure they are clean. If they are dirty, use a soft cloth and a non-abrasive, non-corrosive cleaner to wipe them clean. If the photoelectric system incorporates a reflector, be sure to clean it thoroughly too. Test the photo eyes now to see if they work.

If problems persist, try aligning the photo eyes. Using a length of string or wire have one person hold the line beside one photo eye and take your end across to the other. Pull the line tight so that it passes in parallel beside each eye, forming a straight line. It should be obvious that the photo eyes are out-of-alignment if one eye is parallel to the string and the other is not. Adjust both photo eyes as close as you can. Once they are pretty straight, make fine tuning adjustments to the sender eye only. If the sender photo eye is projecting a beam off to the side, then adjusting the receiver photo eye is worthless. This "string method" can also be used with an eye / reflector combo.

If the photoelectric system still is not functioning, check the data sheets for the sensors to determine what supply voltage is necessary to operate the eyes. Set your multi meter to the correct setting AC or DC and verify that enough power is present to operate the photo eyes.  If the photo eyes use a visible beam, verify that you can see the beam coming from the sender. If the photo eyes use infrared light, it is possible to use a video camera equipped with the nighttime filming option (often referred to as "Night Shot") to see the beam projected from the infrared sender.  Is the receiver photo eye positioned in direct sunlight? The light from the sun can have adverse affects o photoelectric systems. It is OK to mount the sender (transmitter) in direct sunlight as long as the receiver is shielded from it.  Is the photoelectric system properly grounded? Be sure to use earth ground or at least a machine ground. Don't ground your photo eyes to a small screw or tiny DIN rail and think that will suffice.

If the photo eyes do not generate random signals, but instead ignore the objects that they are supposed to detect, then the problem is, more than likely, that the beam of light is not actually being broken. If there is a gain adjustment available on the photo eyes, adjust it to a lower setting. If this doesn't work, try positioning the photo eyes so that the object-to-be-detected passes closer to the receiver eye. If this is not possible, try narrowing the beam of light projected from the sender (transmitter) and/or narrow the field of view of the receiver. Both may be accomplished using a short, narrow piece of PVC pipe.

Check your splices. If the wires of the photo eyes have ever been spliced, check the splices and verify that they are clean. Don't just wrap them together and wind electric tape around the splice. Solder the connection and use a heat shrink tube to seal the connection.  If all else fails, try calling the manufacturer of the photoelectric sensors or a distributor of the products and ask for troubleshooting assistance.

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