Mandylubug Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 So, my kids watched Harry Potter and was obsessed before ever opening a book. My middle DS begged for the books so I assigned them as his reading several months back. I myself have not read the books but have seen the movies. Typically I ask them to tell me a bit of what they read daily. He successfully read the series, gave me what seemed like adequate summaries... See where we are going yet? Well, I've noticed some sight issues this week. He has read out loud for me many times. I've assisted him here and there but nothing unusual until last week. I was on the sofa, he was sitting below me in the floor reading from Apologia to his sisters aloud. I noticed him skipping words, saying wrong words entirely, tiring and rubbing his eyes. He is holding the book in his lap and I can read them clearly above him. Yeah, they were blurry. He told me today that he didn't really read the Harry Potter series either, the words were too blurry. Hello? How do I miss my 10yr old has eye issues? Well, I know how. I've allowed him too much independence, he has been well for three years and I haven't required a well check and physical because I didn't want to pay the copay. He read a book I haven't but had a video knowledge base and lied his way through it. I'm upset about that but I know it is my fault in the long run. Thankfully, we have vision insurance that begins the 21st of this month and he'll be seen immediately. Eta PSA: read their books and get their eyes checked even if all seems well. UPDATE: we had his comprehensive exam with a pediatric dr today. He did great and doesn't need glasses. However, he does have a convergence insufficiency and was given exercises to do daily. We'll re-evaluate next year. I do have appointments scheduled for the others! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 :grouphug: Please don't beat yourself up over this. Give yourself credit for taking action as soon as you realized there was a problem. Kids can be very good at concealing vision problems, because they assume that the way they see things is the same way everyone else does. It can happen to adults, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Oh, goodness. Forgive yourself. That is entirely not a 'Mom fail.' You didn't know because he didn't tell you. Now you know and you're going to fix it. Give yourself a break, Mom. Sometimes even the child doesn't realize how differently he sees the world. I might have been a gradual shift as he demanded ore of his vision. Maybe he didn't know how to express the difficulty. At any rate, give yourself a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 Y'all are right. I know I would have reacted asap. That's what I get for bragging about not having to take him to the doctor for 3 years, though. Whoops. I know theybwould have done a vision screening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 :grouphug: Please don't beat yourself up over this. Give yourself credit for taking action as soon as you realized there was a problem. Kids can be very good at concealing vision problems, because they assume that the way they see things is the same way everyone else does. It can happen to adults, too. I agree! And I would add hearing problems -- one of my sons lied his way through a hearing test and the dr. pooh-pooed me big time. I called her on the way home and told her that he said he just kept pushing the button! Moms are human -- cut us some slack! Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Forgive yourself! No one knew I had eye problems at age 7 until we were doing a school activity that required rotations around the classroom. I did fine at every activity that involved deskwork, and couldn't keep up with anything that involved looking at the chalkboard. I had no idea either; I had very little confidence and was convinced that all my school problems were from my own stupidity! But it was just my eyes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 He lied about reading all seven books? Or just one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 He lied about reading all seven books? Or just one?Oh all seven. I had no issues getting him to read those. He did swell or so I thought but lately all he'd willingly read was an animal encyclopedia that has a larger font. I am quite irritated about the lying part of all of this and I will now make them read books they have no movie knowledge of. He admitted he didn't read them because the letters were blurry and he knew the story anyway. They are small print but not super tiny. Slightly smaller than his R&S 4 math text font Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Oh, gee, Mandy. I'm sorry. That is too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 You should get both of your boys checked. The one that isn't having problems might soon. There is a genetic component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 I'm going to have all 4 checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I agree! And I would add hearing problems -- one of my sons lied his way through a hearing test and the dr. pooh-pooed me big time. I called her on the way home and told her that he said he just kept pushing the button! Moms are human -- cut us some slack! Alley Yes! My DS was 11 before we knew he had hearing problems. He had passed some tests and failed others on and off for years and the doctors blew off my concerns and I let them. They said the tests he failed must have been wrong or due to fluid. Untrue- his type of loss is unrelated to fluid or ear infections. We had NO idea how much he couldn't hear until he got hearing aids. Poor kid probably should have had them all along. And we went to the Dr for annual physicals without missing one since he was born. It's not your fault! I hope a he adapts well to the glasses and enjoys seeing clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 It's killing me we have to wait till the 21st. DHs company was bought and he merged last month and benefits changed. Thankfully, we signed up for vision because I wanted to do a screening on my girls. One likes to sit close to the white board. So, all 4 to be screened it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Also, you might not have noticed that for the vast majority of insurance plans, there is no longer any copay for wellness care! Well checks, immunizations, and various other wellness care (mammograms, etc) are 100% paid for by most plans now, and no deductibles or copays apply, either. Even high deductible plans. I am sure there are exceptions, but check your plan, and get all your kids and yourself in for free wellness care! :) Starting in January, most plans will also include pediatric dentistry as well! Woohoo!! (This was one of many changes to health plans that were part of the Affordable Care Act.) Check our plan! Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 The Harry Potter series is also a little harder because of all of the British-isms that young kids might not be familiar with. My dd reads at the 5th grade level but doesn't always "get" HP. On the eye thing, I've been taking my eldest since she was 2, because I noticed things about her vision/behavior. My youngest always seemed to have excellent vision and blew away every eye screening at the well visits. Her last well visit was June 2012. But last month, I had her examined by the developmental optometrist just so she wouldn't feel left out. During the test she told me, for the first time, that her far vision has been blurry for some time. Turns out she has made herself nearsighted due to so much reading. We order her bifocals tomorrow . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 My vision problems were not detected until I was 9. I had been faking and/or convincing myself that I could see things that I couldn't for years. I had 20/200 vision. On the good side I also had excellent auditory memory from memorizing what the teacher said that she had put on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 OMG he is going to be so happy when he gets glasses. Reading has been so difficult for him and he prob thought there was something shameful in that. But, now he knows it isn't his fault. He is just going to take off with books! My friend's kid needed glasses and he is quite young. They got him some very inexpensively from an online source. The glasses were so cheap they got him three pairs and it is a good thing they did. He has broken one already. My husband bought some from the same place and they are fine. He doesn't think they are any different from glasses he bought from the stores in town. He is a lifelong glasses wearer and wears them for all waking hours. He said he would buy from the same place again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 OMG he is going to be so happy when he gets glasses. Reading has been so difficult for him and he prob thought there was something shameful in that. But, now he knows it isn't his fault. He is just going to take off with books! My friend's kid needed glasses and he is quite young. They got him some very inexpensively from an online source. The glasses were so cheap they got him three pairs and it is a good thing they did. He has broken one already. My husband bought some from the same place and they are fine. He doesn't think they are any different from glasses he bought from the stores in town. He is a lifelong glasses wearer and wears them for all waking hours. He said he would buy from the same place again. Zenni optical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Please take your children to the doctor for yearly check ups. It's a habit that will serve them well later in life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Don't beat yourself up, Mom. I was an avid reader from age 3-4ish. By the time I was 8 or 9 I read anything I could get my hands on. I even read to my much younger little brothers daily. Even then I was a teenager before my parents realized I needed glasses, and that was only because a teacher said something to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted November 19, 2013 Author Share Posted November 19, 2013 I updated our appt info in post 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.