My dd11 is formally dx with inattentive type ADD but dyslexia really fits in many ways as well. She went to bed crying last night about how stupid she is. What prompted this was the fact that, like usual, she had a few questions on her Algebra homework where she didn't understand what they were asking b/c she just doesn't "word" things in her mind the way the typical person does. She
really understands the concepts well, but not the way things are being asked.
None the less, she is doing quite well in school and tested as "advanced" on all of the state tests last year in 6th grade and very highly on the math MAPS. I still feel that something more needs to be done to help her.
She has issues with strongly disliking reading for pleasure despite reading comprehension being above grade level, losing her place on the page, fatigue while reading, headaches, and substitution of words. She is also HG (possibly +).
What she does not have is the traditional phonics issues or writing issues. Her phonemic awareness is very good and always has been. Her writing is not messy and does not run above or below the lines. She, technically, spells well in that any spelling tests such as the spelling subtest on the WIAT are in the 80s (percentiles), but she isn't really a great speller. It isn't causing her major angst, though. Spelling tests significantly below her other reading skills on these types of tests, though. The other thing that has tested well below other reading skills in the past is speed. She reads very slowly.
So, I am reading some stuff claiming that vision therapy would help with these issues. I am also reading stuff like
this statement from Children's Eye Foundation that essentially say that we'd be wasting our money. Vision therapy is not covered by insurance and is very expensive and we can't afford to waste money if it won't help.
The worry I have is that, while we have a nationally well known behavioral optometrist in town as well as a number of other behavioral optometrists, I don't know anyone who has gone for an evaluation with any of these individuals and been told that there is
not a problem that can be treated with vision therapy. I fear that we're going to be told that she needs vision therapy regardless of whether it will fix the issues she is having or not. Any thoughts?
