DD's dyslexic...right? Confused.

[Confuzzled]

I'm a long-time lurker adding my encouragement to get her checked by a development optometrist. I ignored all such suggestions and accommodated for my daughter's reading issues until she started high school last fall and could not keep up with the reading. Her early reading experiences were very similar to your daughter's.

 

Her Lexile score was at a post high school level by fifth grade but she was still very slow, got fatigued by reading, and didn't enjoy it. She complained that it was "work" and it was "hard." We used a lot of audio books, I shortened reading assignments, and catered to her right-brained style of learning. We didn't reach a crises until last fall when she could not finish her reading assignments without getting a major headache, fuzzy thinking, and extreme fatigue.

 

I took her to a regular optometrist who found that she is mildly far-sighted and prescribed glasses which she only had to wear for reading. The headaches did not go away. I researched development optometrists, remembering OhElizabeth's multiple posts over the years, and found a COVD doctor not too far. I fretted and worried so much about the cost, though, that I first took her back to the original optometrist, at Walmart no less, to see if he could fix the problem. 

 

He checked her out and then handed me the business card of the exact same development optometrist I had already researched. I called and because of a cancellation, my daughter was able to be seen the very next day. We don't have vision insurance but I was desperate. We were not even doing any school at all at that point. 

 

I had no idea that our regular health insurance covers eye exams at ANY optometrist once every two years and we hadn't used it for the other appointment. We only had to pay a $20 copay!

 

I had to fill out a very lengthy questionnaire and the doctor spent a lot of time testing her, and we found out she has a convergence issue (over convergence.) We followed up with another appointment for a very lengthy developmental exam, which our regular insurance also covered, and found out that she also has some tracking issues that VT could help with.

 

The doctor first wanted to give her more time with wearing her glasses full time, rather than just while reading, to see if it would help, before we decided about VT. We just just went back last month for a follow-up and her convergence is much improved and her headaches are gone! We still might do some VT with her this summer to help with tracking.

 

All that to say that I VERY MUCH wish I had taken her sooner, when she first started having problems!

 

I noticed that you are in the St. Louis area. So am I. The optometrist I took my daughter to is Dr. Dibler. I don't work for her or know her personally and have nothing to gain by recommending her. (I felt like I needed to add that since I don't post much and have very little cred on these boards!) Even if you find out that your daughter has no issues at all, regular eye exams are important!

 

Kris

 

PS: Thank you OhElizabeth for your persistence and repetitive recommendations to have our children's eyes checked by a developmental optometrist! You have done a great service for my daughter!

[Lecka]

I just want to add, flashback-style, has anyone else had their child try to hold their book open (if it is not a book that easily lays flat) and then try to move their finger (or a piece of paper that is *supposed* to be helping them keep their place) and then all of a sudden -- bam, he is trying to move his finger or the piece of paper, and the book has fallen and the page is lost, and now you have a frustrated child who has lost their place in their book and will have an impossible time to find it again?  Let alone where they are on the page?  

 

I spent a lot of time on holding-the-book-open duty.  And, pointing to his place if he got lost.  

 

So, so frustrating.  

 

Happily -- he can hold his books fine now, and read.  

 

But there was just so much difficulty with the suggestion of having him follow along with his finger or a paper.  I never tried to have him use a notched card himself ---- that was something we used when he was *totally* at the very-dependent-on-mom stage.  But I was recommended to have him try to follow along with his finger, and to try to have a strip of paper above the line of text he was reading.  With that -- the piece of paper would hang up against the bend in the book and go crooked, or turn crooked, and it was like "here, let me stop what I am doing to try to get this piece of paper to behave," and then -- in the mean time -- can he hold the book open, too, while trying to do this.  

 

So anyway -- no, he was never too happy about trying to follow along with his finger!  

 

My son likes reading on my Kindle now, but he didn't like it at the time (I think he may have found it too small in reading left-to-right and then having to go to the next line).  But it seems like with a Kindle, at least you don't worry about holding the book open.  I wanted it to work at the time, but it just didn't, but again -- now he does well with a Kindle or with a book.  

 

It is hard to explain, but it was also just hard for him to track with his finger while reading.  He could not do the two things at the same time.  He did not have any kind of "automatically move your finger" stuff going for him.  When I do it, it is automatic for me and I do not need to think about it, and it does not slow me down, or get me confused.  That was not the case for my son. 

 

Edit:  But I do think it is still worth trying to see if overlays or strips will help!   

[PeterPan]

Kris/Confuzzled, I'm elated for you!!!  :)

[pitterpatter]

I do believe it is! We were able to log into our insurance site over the weekend. Admittedly, it wasn't especially helpful. As far as I could see, there wasn't any way to really search by specialty/certification. So, I hopped over to COVD's site and was surprised by how few results I turned up for the St. Louis area. Perhaps there are more that aren't listed in the database?

 

Anyone know which certification(s) is best?

 

My choices are:

 

OD

OD, OTR/L1

OD, FCOVD

 

I'm a little frustrated. When I cross-checked optometrists in my insurance database, all of the ones I checked were ranked 2 out of 4 stars. I need to look into what that ranking entails. They probably aren't accurate reflections (particularly since everyone seemed to be ranked the same) but less than stellar rankings always nag at me.

 

 

Is yours VSP? We don't get the cards for the VSP under hubby's employee plan. There is a number to call and calling the insurance helpline was easier than navigating the website. The hotline do need the SSN for telling us how much it might cost as plans differ.

 

[pitterpatter]

Thank you so very much!!! She's the first one who really caught my eye the other day when I was researching options on COVD's site. I didn't want to be rash, though...just because she has the snazziest Web site. I greatly appreciate the recommendation!! Makes me feel a lot more confident.

 

 

I'm a long-time lurker adding my encouragement to get her checked by a development optometrist. I ignored all such suggestions and accommodated for my daughter's reading issues until she started high school last fall and could not keep up with the reading. Her early reading experiences were very similar to your daughter's.

 

Her Lexile score was at a post high school level by fifth grade but she was still very slow, got fatigued by reading, and didn't enjoy it. She complained that it was "work" and it was "hard." We used a lot of audio books, I shortened reading assignments, and catered to her right-brained style of learning. We didn't reach a crises until last fall when she could not finish her reading assignments without getting a major headache, fuzzy thinking, and extreme fatigue.

 

I took her to a regular optometrist who found that she is mildly far-sighted and prescribed glasses which she only had to wear for reading. The headaches did not go away. I researched development optometrists, remembering OhElizabeth's multiple posts over the years, and found a COVD doctor not too far. I fretted and worried so much about the cost, though, that I first took her back to the original optometrist, at Walmart no less, to see if he could fix the problem. 

 

He checked her out and then handed me the business card of the exact same development optometrist I had already researched. I called and because of a cancellation, my daughter was able to be seen the very next day. We don't have vision insurance but I was desperate. We were not even doing any school at all at that point. 

 

I had no idea that our regular health insurance covers eye exams at ANY optometrist once every two years and we hadn't used it for the other appointment. We only had to pay a $20 copay!

 

I had to fill out a very lengthy questionnaire and the doctor spent a lot of time testing her, and we found out she has a convergence issue (over convergence.) We followed up with another appointment for a very lengthy developmental exam, which our regular insurance also covered, and found out that she also has some tracking issues that VT could help with.

 

The doctor first wanted to give her more time with wearing her glasses full time, rather than just while reading, to see if it would help, before we decided about VT. We just just went back last month for a follow-up and her convergence is much improved and her headaches are gone! We still might do some VT with her this summer to help with tracking.

 

All that to say that I VERY MUCH wish I had taken her sooner, when she first started having problems!

 

I noticed that you are in the St. Louis area. So am I. The optometrist I took my daughter to is Dr. Dibler. I don't work for her or know her personally and have nothing to gain by recommending her. (I felt like I needed to add that since I don't post much and have very little cred on these boards!) Even if you find out that your daughter has no issues at all, regular eye exams are important!

 

Kris

 

PS: Thank you OhElizabeth for your persistence and repetitive recommendations to have our children's eyes checked by a developmental optometrist! You have done a great service for my daughter!

 

[BlsdMama]

My oldest son is dyslexic. I wondered for quite a while as well and we finally decided to have him officially tested and diagnosed for my sanity of knowing. ;)

 

He tested at a 12th grade level in reading and a 9th grade level for spelling. He was in the 9th grade at the time.

 

She discovered he was moderately dyslexic with a phenomenal memory.

 

He reads out loud beautifully however that has taken work. His weakest point is prosody.

 

I asked why remediate a child like this and she told me that as he gets into higher level classes, his mind will be bogged down by deciding material and his comprehension will suffer.

[PeterPan]

Pitterpatter, definitely call all your options and compare pricing, availability, search the web for reputation, etc.  They *should* let you come tour their therapy room so you can see how they do things.  You're going to see a wide variety, so it's good to compare.  

 

Then start with just that basic annual vision exam.  That way you can meet the doc, let them screen, see if you like them...  There is nothing worse than paying for a full developmental vision exam and then realizing you HATE the doc or have horrible red flags for one reason or another.  So I'd start with that $60 annual exam.  They'll get you in snappylike if their screening shows up anything to indicate you need the full developmental vision eval.

 

The place we used does a monthly workshop where you can meet the therapists and a doc, see their space, etc.  They give you a $50 coupon when you attend.  See what they offer.  Swanky can be all glitz, or it CAN reflect some place that has decided to invest and really do it.  Our place had certified therapists and enough that they could get you in at any time.  Some places are just you and the doc.  It can vary wildly.  If the doc is hurried or doesn't click with the child, that could be bad.  The therapist we used had a fabulous personality to click with dd and we had the ability to pick the therapist who clicked.  It wouldn't have gone as well if it had been the doc doing it.  However there are situations where the doc doing it is the right choice.  It's just a matter of visiting and seeing your options and seeing what you think.

[ElizabethB]

There is also The Pupil Project in the St. Louis area if funds are a problem, I have heard good things about that from homeschooling friends in the area.

 

http://www.umsl.edu/~optomety/PupilProject/pupilproject.html

[pitterpatter]

Thank you. I was wondering what I should schedule right off.

 

Things are never quite simple, are they? DH and DD both have serious rare diseases. (Well, hopefully DD's is more had than have now. Knock on wood and all that.) First, DD's and then a couple of years later DH's. DH's is ongoing. I am still worn out and sick of doctors. The thought of this, plus a nueropsych eval and whatever subsequent treatment(s) might be has me wanting to hide under a rock. I know it needs to be done. And, I want to figure out how to help DD. I just have a lot less tolerance for the process than I did the first and second time around. We've definitely had our fair share of doctors we love or hate.

 

 

Pitterpatter, definitely call all your options and compare pricing, availability, search the web for reputation, etc.  They *should* let you come tour their therapy room so you can see how they do things.  You're going to see a wide variety, so it's good to compare.  

 

Then start with just that basic annual vision exam.  That way you can meet the doc, let them screen, see if you like them...  There is nothing worse than paying for a full developmental vision exam and then realizing you HATE the doc or have horrible red flags for one reason or another.  So I'd start with that $60 annual exam.  They'll get you in snappylike if their screening shows up anything to indicate you need the full developmental vision eval.

 

The place we used does a monthly workshop where you can meet the therapists and a doc, see their space, etc.  They give you a $50 coupon when you attend.  See what they offer.  Swanky can be all glitz, or it CAN reflect some place that has decided to invest and really do it.  Our place had certified therapists and enough that they could get you in at any time.  Some places are just you and the doc.  It can vary wildly.  If the doc is hurried or doesn't click with the child, that could be bad.  The therapist we used had a fabulous personality to click with dd and we had the ability to pick the therapist who clicked.  It wouldn't have gone as well if it had been the doc doing it.  However there are situations where the doc doing it is the right choice.  It's just a matter of visiting and seeing your options and seeing what you think.