gevs4him Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 would you please give me some information about it or where to find information on it. I have researched some sites on the web, but I am turning to the forum because I trust your input. How can you tell if your child has it? How do you adjust their school work? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpea3829 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 The very first thing I would suggest is to have an OT eval done followed by a comprehensive vision screening by a developmental optometrist. A lot, a lot of children with dysgraphia, dyslexia and even dyscalculia have undiagnosed vision issues that a regular opthomologist won't catch. A developmental optometrist can identify those issues and provide vision therapy to correct those issues. We are in the process of ruling these issues out with our 6 year old, who struggles to remember how to form even the letters in her name, despite practicing since the age of 4. We are finding Handwriting Without Tears to be very helpful so far. She is doing MUCH better with forming her letters. It's been a great program and the gray block paper is definitely worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleBears Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Diane Craft has great info on this. Here's the link http://www.diannecraft.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gevs4him Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Diane Craft has great info on this. Here's the link www.diannecraft.org We have read over this site and find it very helpful. Thank you :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gevs4him Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 The very first thing I would suggest is to have an OT eval done followed by a comprehensive vision screening by a developmental optometrist. A lot, a lot of children with dysgraphia, dyslexia and even dyscalculia have undiagnosed vision issues that a regular opthomologist won't catch. A developmental optometrist can identify those issues and provide vision therapy to correct those issues. We are in the process of ruling these issues out with our 6 year old, who struggles to remember how to form even the letters in her name, despite practicing since the age of 4. We are finding Handwriting Without Tears to be very helpful so far. She is doing MUCH better with forming her letters. It's been a great program and the gray block paper is definitely worthwhile. You have been very helpful. I plan to make some phone calls tomorrow. I never realized that there is a difference in vision care providers and had no idea OT could check for writing problems. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) would you please give me some information about it or where to find information on it. I have researched some sites on the web, but I am turning to the forum because I trust your input. How can you tell if your child has it? How do you adjust their school work? Thank you My 12yo DS has it and was diagnosed by a PhD Neuropsychologist. We never went to an OT and eventually used Getty-DuBay Italic cursive. DS types about 40wpm, using MS Word at home and a portable AlphaSmart Dana at school (that he hauls every school day). He started with the AlphaSmart NEO in 4th grade. DS will occasionally use DragonSpeak, a speech to text software, and I scribe for him as well. I suggest you get your son's binocular vision checked, teach cursive and typing, and reduce written work where possible. My son's hwing is legible, but typing is so much easier and has been life changing for him. Edited February 20, 2012 by Heathermomster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Did you see my post yesterday about vision therapy? http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349557 I have THREE kids who were able to focus for very short periods of time - enough to pass a well-respected opthamologist's exam, but all 3 have vision problems. I kept taking them back to the opthamologist b/c I knew something was wrong, and she kept saying they were fine. The OT kept telling me they had problems - she saw it too. It was EXTREMELY frustrating! I finally went to a developmental optometrist, and I could see as I watched him test them that he was looking for and picking out exactly what I was seeing. The testing is just totally different than a regular eye exam. I have one child who I am fairly sure is dyslexic. However, we have to get the vision fixed BEFORE we have her tested, as I don't want her mislabeled. The vision can be fixed. The dyslexia can't. So it is VERY important to me to figure out exactly what is going on. That being said, I am using materials at home that are supposed to be good for dyslexic kids (OPGTR, HWOT, etc.), so that whether or not we eventually get that diagnosis, we haven't delayed dealing with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gevs4him Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Did you see my post yesterday about vision therapy?http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349557 I have THREE kids who were able to focus for very short periods of time - enough to pass a well-respected opthamologist's exam, but all 3 have vision problems. I kept taking them back to the opthamologist b/c I knew something was wrong, and she kept saying they were fine. The OT kept telling me they had problems - she saw it too. It was EXTREMELY frustrating! I finally went to a developmental optometrist, and I could see as I watched him test them that he was looking for and picking out exactly what I was seeing. The testing is just totally different than a regular eye exam. I have one child who I am fairly sure is dyslexic. However, we have to get the vision fixed BEFORE we have her tested, as I don't want her mislabeled. The vision can be fixed. The dyslexia can't. So it is VERY important to me to figure out exactly what is going on. That being said, I am using materials at home that are supposed to be good for dyslexic kids (OPGTR, HWOT, etc.), so that whether or not we eventually get that diagnosis, we haven't delayed dealing with it. Thank you for the information - the post you wrote about your children gives hope. Today, I called the optometrist and spoke with him about the problems ds is having - he assured me that he can and will do tests to rule out vision problems. So I made ds an appointment for Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I want to jump onto the check vision issues + use HWT (& consider jumping straight to cursive) + teach touch typing handwriting bandwagon. :) We have seen HUGE changes in ds's handwriting as we've worked on his vision issues. We were using a computer based orthoptics program and we'll be starting him with in-office vision therapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandles Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 We also are wondering if our ds age 8 has dysgraphia. He is on a waiting list at a children's hospital to have him tested. He reads on a 5th grade level and he's in 3rd, but his handwriting looks like he's in Kindergarten. I am anxious to find out what is going on with him. He's getting pretty frustrated with his school work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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