pjssully Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I just learned about this last night--i thought i had already written a post but i can't find it. So here it goes again! My 9 year old daughter has over 3/4 of the symptoms so i am pretty sure this is her problem. It is such a relief to have a name and know that there is help--i almost cried when i discovered this~We are waiting on an appointment for december but unitl that time, i am wondering if anyone has any advice as to how to go about teaching spelling/writing. These are horrible subjects for her--cause headaches, dizziness and her handwriting is soooo sloppy! We haven't done much this year so far with either but i don't want her to get to far behind. Any suggestions? thanks pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 and just started VT. If you're in the Chicago suburbs, I can recommend a good optometrist : ) Until you can begin to re-mediate the situation, let her move an index card below each line of print when she reads, and have her track each word with her finger. You can also do this for her. She can write spelling words on a white board, with or without lines. Writing large letters will be easier on her eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Everson Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 We are waiting on an appointment for december but until that time, i am wondering if anyone has any advice as to how to go about teaching spelling/writing. These are horrible subjects for her--cause headaches, dizziness and her handwriting is soooo sloppy! We haven't done much this year so far with either but i don't want her to get to far behind. Any suggestions?thanks pam Hi Pam, I teach phonics to a lot of kids who didn't "get it" before their vision problems were addressed. Assuming you're correct and she does have a vision problem that needs to be treated, it would actually be best to hold off on the phonics/spelling instruction until the vision issues have been addressed. It's likely that instruction will be considerably easier then (both for her and for you.) In the meantime, instead of working on the mechanics of reading (phonics, spelling) that require close visual attention to detail, I would consider working on comprehension. Read aloud to her, or get some taped books that she would enjoy, and discuss them with her after she's listened to each chapter. You could do the same with an anthology of short stories centered on a particular topic, or poetry, or even a play or two. If she actually reads well now and the only issues are writing/spelling, then I would definitely wait on them until after any vision therapy she undergoes is well underway. It will make much more sense to her then. Incidentally, I've had an extensive number of conversations with parents of kids who have been found to have similar vision problems and I'm now convinced that these vision problems are genetic. In almost every case, one of the parents, or siblings of one of the parents, or a grandparent, struggled with early reading instruction (which is one of the main symptoms of these vision issues.) I mention this because I always tell these parents that they will need to be on the lookout for similar symptoms in their other children and eventually in their grandchildren, so that those children don't end up in 5th or 6th grade before someone finally figures out what's going on with them. If your daughter does indeed have a vision problem such as convergence insufficiency, you too should be alert to the problem appearing again further down the line. You can prevent a lot of grief by doing so. Rod Everson OnTrack Reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JC In Chicagoland Posted December 2, 2008 Share Posted December 2, 2008 We are in Naperville and I am looking for a great optometrist. My son - age 6 - was just dx with this too. If you have a great recommendation, would love to know who it is ??? We have first appointment scheduled next week with Lockhardt and Maze optometrists. Have heard just a little about them but not much. :bigear: and just started VT. If you're in the Chicago suburbs, I can recommend a good optometrist : ) Until you can begin to re-mediate the situation, let her move an index card below each line of print when she reads, and have her track each word with her finger. You can also do this for her. She can write spelling words on a white board, with or without lines. Writing large letters will be easier on her eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Hi JC - I replied to your PM! Our Optometrist is in Aurora, and we have been very pleased with him so far. Here's a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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