Is VT the only option?

[Abecedarianmama]

My son, almost 7, has severe visual processing problems, as well as capd. we suspect dyslexia, but the vision doctor said she cannot diagnose it without testing that only the therapist can provide, which is not covered by insurance. we are considering vt for the summer, but it will cost us $75 a week (not covered by insurance), plus a 90 min. one way drive. We would have to charge it, which I don't want to do. He is already working with an OT.

[rafiki]

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[PeterPan]

Well I don't know your full situation on what the OT is for, but what you might do is take the OT to once a month, just for those few months. Have the OT give you a lot of homework. Get out of the box and do stuff at the park. (I made my own weighted collar to use on a single line swing, etc.) Then use that money to put toward the VT. But when you do that, make sure you have a VT you feel confident in. No, I wouldn't pay extra money for a dyslexia diagnosis from a VT. Our place wouldn't diagnose it. Apparently it's not in the optometrist's realm of things to diagnose but is what a psychologist (ed psych, neuropsych) does. So you'd be paying for something that, while comforting to you as a label, would make no difference for future accommodations, etc. In fact, apparently you have to retest later to get those accommodations.

 

So if money is tight, teach like he is dyslexic and be happily surprised if he's not. Sounds like you're probably going to end up wanting the neuropsych or ed psych eval someday anyway. That will give you a much fuller picture.

 

BTW, have you shopped around VT's? Some offer a no-interest service, and some have sliding scales based on income or other helps. I would definitely check into that. I hear you on not going into debt. Your child is young enough that, while it might seem hard in the moment, I wouldn't hesitate to wait a month or two if necessary to get your finances in order. If you put the OT to monthly now and set aside that savings to put toward VT, then in a month or two you'd be in a better position to move forward iwth the VT and go into debt. Now when my dd started VT, she had been having horrendous headaches. But even then, they were only with school. No school, no headaches. So if something is aggravating it, stop that, and get your finances there. I wouldn't wait forever, but a month or two will not kill anything. Like I said, it feels horrible now, while you're in the waiting stage, but when you're done it will all be past.

Edited June 10, 2011 by OhElizabeth

[Dobela]

If your child has diagnoses of delays or learning related disabilities that seem to require long therm therapies, you may also want to consider applying for state funded insurance like medicaid. We had an OT recommend this for our son and it became a blessing. We pay a small monthly fee based on dh's income. The medicaid paid for all of ds's therapies, including VT. It did take several months for the application to go thru the medical board for approval though.

 

THere are also families who do all vision therapy at home by purchasing Kenneth Lane's book. While I believe this can be done, I know that from experience with my son I would have had serious difficulty understanding the exercises to do them correctly. ( I have not seen the actual book though).

 

VT and OT also can go hand in hand. Many of the VT exercises overlap with OT exercises. I would seriously consider OhElizabeth's recommendation of reducing OT while doing VT.

 

Also, VTs don't diagnose dyslexia. They can work with vision issues that are adding additional visual stress. My son's VT would do dyslexia screenings but an actual dyslexia diagnosis has to come from an edpsych or another professional properly trained.

[SonshineMama]

This book was recommended in another thread instead of vision therapy.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1556425953/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

I have no personal experience with it but it sounds like a possible option!