Jump to content

Menu

vision screening from non-COVD doctor?


Recommended Posts

You could call and talk with them.  Do they also do vision therapy?  They may have a therapist you can talk with.  Or pick *one* dc and take them in for just an annual and ask the doc to screen.  That way you aren't locked in if you don't think it's what you need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did ask the scheduling lady what the next step would be if he had problems with something on the screening and she said, "Well you can ask to the doctor about that."  Like I want to pay $160 to find out whether they actually have a next step, or at least one that doesn't involve a referral to someone in a different city.  I'll have to call back and try to find someone who knows a little more about it.

 

I'm hesitant to have it done at all.  It would just be for the 7 yo, because the OT thought it might be a good idea because he doesn't make eye contact well, and because she did a eye tracking thing with him and he initially opened his eyes really wide while doing it so she thought it was difficult for him.  But once she told him to relax his eyes and blink, he did it fine, and I've never seen him do the eyes-wide-open thing with anything.  I think it was just his idea of trying hard or something.  And he doesn't have symptoms of visual processing issues on any lists I've looked at except mixing up b & d and sometimes mirror writing or writing a number backwards (and this is getting less frequent, except the b/d confusion).  I'm reading The MIslabeled Child right now and the only symptoms he has on their lists for visual processing issues in different areas are the social interaction ones--missing social cues or subtle facial expressions (because you can't notice them if you're not looking at someone in the first place), poor interpersonal skills, and poor eye contact.  Which all seem way more likely to be ADHD-related than vision related.  My ADHD but less-so DD has the same issues, just not as badly as he does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the Eide's visual processing section is a mixed bag. I do appreciate that they address the topic, but it seems to cover things that are a bit different from what a COVD might cover for pure ocular motor issues. I don't know. It just seems all jostled together in their section, and it seems more clear cut when I talk to a COVD. 

 

Anyway, yeah, the things you are noticing seem about social cues, eye contact, etc. are not things that make me think COVD.

 

I think I would still want to know if my kids have some ocular motor issues, but I don't know what to tell you about their exam and if they'd be good at it. I think it would be good to ask about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, this place doesn't sound like they're doing developmental vision exams that lead to vision therapy, so no I would look for a COVD if you want that screening.  

 

You keep saying ADHD, but those symptoms you're listing all scream ASD.  The stress you feel screams ASD.  That's the question you should be asking.  It's more important than a vision exam, and a vision eval won't solve many of those things because they aren't vision problems.  (social skills, eye contact, etc.)

 

If you go to an autism clinic, they'll have OT, SLP, psych, etc. all under one roof.  There *are* vision problems common to spectrum, but they're because there are usually OT issues, etc. going on.  So if he gets an OT eval as part of a larger process, you'll probably get more thorough explanations.  The eye doc does not have your answers.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how much you think ASD is a possibility, but since I already named one area of criticism of The Mislabeled Child, I would say their spectrum section never really rang any bells for me with my ASD kiddo. The SPD section did, and sorting out the unnamed ADHD plus SPD, but not quite right-ness of it all led to ASD for us, so the book was (and is) enormously helpful to us on a lot of levels. But it didn't flag ASD in my 2e kid at all. So, I would not use that book to seriously rule ASD out.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's no autism clinic here. I've always been a high-stress person unfortunately. I guess I never developed good coping skills or a good support network and that hasn't served me well in parenting.

 

It's hard to read too much into the eye contact thing or lack of social skills. Like I said DD has more minor problems in both areas. I do too for that matter....even 15 years after realizing I somehow missed Social Skills 101 where you learn how to do eye contact and small talk and not feel awkward around people, those still don't come all that naturally to me. And I don't even have ADHD to explain it.

 

I haven't got to the ASD section of the book yet. But I have googled both Aspergers and high functioning autism several times and they just don't fit. He doesn't avoid eye contact, he'll look someone in the face off and on. He can identify feelings in others. He may not notice them as readily as others, but he doesn't have trouble identifying them when he does notice or they're pointed out. And he doesn't have obsessive interests or repetitive behaviors either. His conversations sound normal and he can make friends with kids his age. Some kids he gets along with fine, and some he doesn't. He has problems in our main social circle (church) because all the other kids go to the Christian school so mine are the outsiders, and two of the "cool" kids who are just his age decided at about age 3 that they would be nasty to him, and they've pulled most of the other little boys into their group. The craziness that seems to be sensory related is making it harder as he gets older and kids notice it more, but if I stay on top of his sensory stuff he's way calmer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...