Vision Therapy

[mamaof2an2]

Hi, pretty new with the boards and learning the ropes here, hoping someone out there has some ideas or thoughts...

 

My ds (8) is currently in vision therapy. He is not an independent reader, and struggles visually with many things. He is excellent at auditory learning, and excels at math. He has always been very agile, good balance, good self awareness w/environment, and a bit of a daredevil. ;) Since starting VT he has complained of headaches, watches television with head turned sideways, and has walked into walls. Has anyone experienced such traumatic changes when a child starts VT?

 

Looking forward to any thoughts,

[bluedarling]

Well, those are symptoms my 2nd child had BEFORE VT, but not during. It is possible that this is an intermediate stage between severe symptoms and recovering, but I would check with the vt-doc!! He definitely should be made aware of the symptoms. I would not say that it is 'normal', as neither of mine had worsening symptoms during therapy. However, it would make sense that this could happen....for instance, my 1st child had mild convergence issues, and my 2nd severe convergence and other issues....yet my 1st was the one who couldn't read...the 2nd child had no trouble reading even though his problems were more severe. The doc demonstrated this to me...he put two pictures just slightly off from one another vs. with a larger separation. With a larger separation, I could still read, but with them just slightly off it was completely muddled, and I was unable to read....so it makes sense that as a more severe problem is remedied it would pass through that "difficult" point where things are only slightly off, but more impossible to read. But that's reading....not walking into walls and such. It sounds like your son may have shut off an eye....to avoid the strain....that would not be good. (That was part of 2nd son's issue.) If that is what he is doing, the doc may need to adjust treatment to force him to use both eyes.

[mamakelly]

Both of my VT kids complained of headaches and were tired during VT. Vision therapy takes a lot of energy, and it's hard work. I'd talk to your therapist to be sure, it's within normal range for your kiddo.

[eoffg1]

With various therapies, the functional changes that they cause. Can mean that the coping strategies that they had developed, can no longer be used?

So that he might be in the middle, where he hasn't developed his new way of using his vision, but is now unable to use his old way using his vision?

Though it should be discussed with the therapist.