Can somebody encourage me about LDs? (Visual processing dysfunction)

[Jackie in NE]

I feel like I have failed my ds. He has always been very active, very impulsive, very distracted, and easily frustrated. After reading the recent thread on ADHD, I wonder if he is mildly ADHD...

 

He is very bright and oh, so sweet. But he has been having trouble reading and writing from the beginning. He has difficulty tracking as he reads. He reads words backwards, and often skips words. His eyes get very tired. He gets headaches, and gets very cranky when he reads. He is VERY EASILY irritated and distracted by noises or actions happening in the periphery of his vision.

 

I thought he was just a normal, very active boy. Something like the character "Arliss" in Old Yeller. Always inquisitive, always moving. We put him in a public charter school this year, because I felt like I just couldn't give him all he needed. Even before we put him in school, I had scheduled an appointment for a complete eye exam. He had his exam on Monday, and immediately the Dr. told me that he is having difficulty focusing his eyes, and that he actually had a slight eyelid infection, which she often sees in children that are straining their eyes constantly. When she showed me what the letters on a page probably look like to ds, it broke my heart. How many times did I say to him "Would you just focus?!". If only I could take every one of those times back...... Because he couldn't "just focus".

 

As I drove him to school today, he told me he was lonely. School is not going well. He has brought home a few F's, and I think he's starting to feel "dumb". My heart is breaking. I am in constant contact with his teacher, who is excellent. He will be getting extensive testing done on Tuesday with the eye clinic. I feel that may be just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Please encourage me. My first impulse is to bring him back home and sit on the couch and read to him all day. But I don't want him to think that I brought him home because he's too "dumb" to go to school.

 

Please share with me your success stories about this type of thing.

 

I am :bigear::bigear: .

 

Warm Regards, Jackie

[specialmama]

:grouphug: I brought my dd home a few months into grade 2. The main reason was that I'm pretty sure she has ADHD and she just needed extra time to do the work. They kept her in at recess, but that was counter-productive as she needed that time to run and get rid of energy in order to concentrate better. I did not want to take her home because of that though, as I didn't want her already plummetting self-esteem to take a nose dive. But I did want her home! Once I made up my mind to take her home, that was it. It was "because your dad and I know it is best." It was not because of her, it's because WE made the decision. Period. Not up for debate. Not a punishment, just a decision, like the decision to have pasta instead of potatoes. My dd was actually quite relieved to be out of the equation. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that audible sigh she let out makes me feel that she felt rescued. I've never regretted it. :001_smile: All that to say, if you do decide to bring him home, it's YOUR decision, and the reasons could be as vague as "it's what is best for our family."

[scrapbookbuzz]

Sweet Jackie, know this: all moms who are truly concerned about what's best for their children are the hardest on themselves. Some things about our children we can't know until something happens to bring it to the front of our eyes, brains, and hearts. When my dd, who is now 12, was in 3rd grade, I thought she 'just wasn't focusing/concentrating'. And we would fight! I eventually began to realize she had at least one learning disability, and eventually found there were a couple! Then, when she was in 4th and they recommended I get her eyes checked and I found out she needed glasses...well, let's just say I felt terrible! I had only thought about that once before that and hadn't done anything!

 

You said he's getting vision testing done on Tuesday. You may want to make sure that's with an opthamologist, not an optometrist. The difference is that the first is an MD and the second is not. And the first will test for a lot more issues than the second.

 

I hope that helps! And, don't be too hard on yourself, because, obviously, you are listening to your God-given Mom's Intuition and therefore, you ARE on the right track! Deep breath and chin up! We're here for you!

[Jackie in NE]

Sweet Jackie, know this: all moms who are truly concerned about what's best for their children are the hardest on themselves. Some things about our children we can't know until something happens to bring it to the front of our eyes, brains, and hearts. When my dd, who is now 12, was in 3rd grade, I thought she 'just wasn't focusing/concentrating'. And we would fight! I eventually began to realize she had at least one learning disability, and eventually found there were a couple! Then, when she was in 4th and they recommended I get her eyes checked and I found out she needed glasses...well, let's just say I felt terrible! I had only thought about that once before that and hadn't done anything!

 

You said he's getting vision testing done on Tuesday. You may want to make sure that's with an opthamologist, not an optometrist. The difference is that the first is an MD and the second is not. And the first will test for a lot more issues than the second.

 

I hope that helps! And, don't be too hard on yourself, because, obviously, you are listening to your God-given Mom's Intuition and therefore, you ARE on the right track! Deep breath and chin up! We're here for you!

scrapbookbuzz,

 

Thank you. A million times, thank you.

 

His first appointment was with an OD who's specialty is "Vision development, low vision, vision rehabilitation, and vision therapy". His next appt. (next Tuesday) is with a "Certified Vision Therapist". It is going to take about 2 hrs., and $650. Neither of these people are opthalmaologists. It looks to me like the tool they lean towards is vision therapy. They are well-regarded in our small community. But perhaps I should take ds to an opthalmologist in a larger community with written results of the testing in hand? The therapy is going to be very expensive ($400-500/mo.)

 

Warm regards, Jackie

[Kim in Appalachia]

see if the school can test him for a learning problem. He could be dyslexic, and if he is tested and they find a problem they will have to create a plan to help him.

[Jackie in NE]

see if the school can test him for a learning problem. He could be dyslexic, and if he is tested and they find a problem they will have to create a plan to help him.

 

Yes, I realize that they have many resources at their disposal. But I am frankly afraid of my son being labeled. And I say that in the sincere hope that I do not offend anyone who has a special needs child. I think that I would rather just pay for the testing myself, and have it done outside of school, so that the results are only known by me. If he does have a learning disablility, and I'm almost sure that he does, my first impulse would be to bring him back home and give him the individualized attention that he might need. I would also want to get some training for myself in order to give him what he needs.

 

Has anyone done something like that? Or am I making things overly simplistic?

[AngieW in Texas]

I think you should try to get a developmental vision evaluation.

 

My youngest has dyseidetic dyslexia, developmental vision issues, and visual processing difficulties. Vision therapy is expensive, but it fixed her tracking, sweeping, focus, and double vision issues (all related to visual efficiency). It couldn't do anything for her dyslexia, but the dyslexia became obvious once her visual efficiency problems were corrected.

 

My dd did vision therapy at 6.5yo and has been reading at grade level since 10yo.

[wapiti]

scrapbookbuzz,

 

Thank you. A million times, thank you.

 

His first appointment was with an OD who's specialty is "Vision development, low vision, vision rehabilitation, and vision therapy". His next appt. (next Tuesday) is with a "Certified Vision Therapist". It is going to take about 2 hrs., and $650. Neither of these people are opthalmaologists. It looks to me like the tool they lean towards is vision therapy. They are well-regarded in our small community. But perhaps I should take ds to an opthalmologist in a larger community with written results of the testing in hand? The therapy is going to be very expensive ($400-500/mo.)

 

Warm regards, Jackie

 

Most opthamologists do not do vision therapy. (That's a generalization. There are a few who do.) Be aware that VT is controversial, especially amongst opthamologists.

 

IME, the difference between the optometrist and opthamologist is not that the opthamologist tests for more things, it's that they test for different things. My dd, for example, was checked by both the ped opthamologist, who found nothing, and the optometrist, who found her eye tracking problem. Indeed, as you see, the full evaluation for vision issues with the VT is a whole separate appointment even from the regular optometrist checkup. FWIW, we were very happy with the results of VT - a long road but well worth the effort (the daily exercises at home are the key). You may want to check the special needs board for lots of discussions re: VT.

 

The $650 sounds high to me for the evaluation. I think we paid more in the range of $125. If these people have been recommended by others, that's a great sign.

 

As far as the school district goes, most districts will have nothing to do with vision. While it wouldn't hurt to have them evaluate for other LDs, it does not make much sense to do that until his vision improves. Everyone is different, of course, but the initial recommended course of VT is usually around 6 months, and yes you can see significant changes during that time.

Edited September 22, 2010 by wapiti

[Jackie in NE]

I think you should try to get a developmental vision evaluation.

 

My youngest has dyseidetic dyslexia, developmental vision issues, and visual processing difficulties. Vision therapy is expensive, but it fixed her tracking, sweeping, focus, and double vision issues (all related to visual efficiency). It couldn't do anything for her dyslexia, but the dyslexia became obvious once her visual efficiency problems were corrected.

 

My dd did vision therapy at 6.5yo and has been reading at grade level since 10yo.

Thank you Angie! This is very encouraging.

[wapiti]

One more thing to add to my post above, a little encouragement re: VT.

 

At the beginning of first grade, dd was reading at a level of DR 3, the lowest level before the district would require remedial help. I mean, she struggled with things on the level of Go Dog Go. Then we did the VT during first grade (long story, she also had a short course of OT for SPD during the same timeframe), finishing VT in April. At that point she was reading at a level of DR 28, if I remember correctly (I think DR 16 was the average level for end of first grade). Now in fourth grade her reading is something like 7th/8th gr, I'm not sure.

 

Moreover, when we were starting VT and doing the exercises, it was clear how difficult it was for her to move her eyes. She couldn't do it smoothly at all. In contrast, by the end of VT, she could do things with her eyes that I can't do ;). And still can.