Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional I

That's about what my vision is, with some astigmatism complications. I lose acuity at about my arm's length. I can certainly read street signs by recognizing shapes of words. I can tell you the number of fingers at that distance in bright light by moving my head while looking at the hand. Without my glasses, though, I feel ill, get a horrid headache, and lose depth perception. With poor depth perception, I run into things, lose my balance, misjudge how fast things are moving, and I trip over even small obsticals.

You seem to need a second opinion, though, since the vision numbers don't sync with your sense on the child. Kids can be hard to test. DS initially tested at about 20:200 because the eye doc asked him to start reading all the way to the left side of the eye chart. He struggled and squirmed as he tried to make out anything to get started, making us think his vision was horrid. It turned out he was trying to make out the teeny tiny '20/200' code to the left of the huge letters. Without my glasses, I can't even see that there's even anything printed beside the letters.

moomin, after the first day with glasses I predicted my DDs would last a week, tops. The first pair probably made it 9 months. The second has also been somewhat brutalised but are now over 6 months old and not lost or broken (somewhat bent). So you may luck out.

We ended up springing for a pair that had the twistable/unbreakable hinges and metal frames for our fiddly kid... they lasted longer, but still not forever.

DeeDee

I think contact lenses worked even better than glasses for my son who is now 15. He used to have vestibular and proprioceptive issues when he was younger, before we knew he was nearsighted. He wears the kind of contact lenses that you can sleep in and then throw away after a month. I don't know how old a child would have to be before getting these. But I also think headaches might have been a cause of his issues. I remember him having a headache when he was tested and I know I have sensory issues when I get a migraine.

I think my son's proprioceptive and vestibular issues must have totally disappeared for him to have walked so soon after scoliosis surgery and to not need a walker or any kind of support when he was also under the influence of heavy duty pain medication.

Whatever you do get the replacement plan for the glasses. My son has been pretty careful with his glasses (he is 8) but on the playground someone whacked him one accidentally. Later in the day he was sitting at his desk and the glasses just fell apart (assuming the whack to the head broke them almost all the way and that they fell apart later when the last little bit gave way).

I figure he will go through more than one pair a year as a kid. Oh and we stop for adjustments about every two months...they just get out of adjustment from play.

I think LensCrafters also has a buy 1 get one 1 free thing for kids glasses, because they tend to lose/break them so often. Good luck!

yay! yay! yay! when DD5 got her glasses a couple of years ago, they made such a huge difference for her. she doesn't even have to wear them all the time anymore, but she does because she feels how much they've empowered her.

and while we're talking glasses... keep a sharp eye out for the kid who will tease her about them. DD loved hers and then all of a sudden started saying that she thought she didn't need them anymore/she could see better without them.

given that with her particular vision issues she *may* outgrow them - we went straight off to the eye doctor. everything was fine with the prescription, but the doctor immediately picked up on a bullying vibe. it wasn't overt, it was honestly something that i never would have seen on my own - and it was like kicking over a hornet's nest. i am so grateful to that doctor, you have no idea.

ultimately, DD dealt with the bully in truly a hilarious way:

DD: um, dude - i love my glasses and you should, too.
Bully: i hate them. i'll never love them - they make you ugly.
DD: ah. well, you see without them, i get headaches. and when i have headaches, i get REALLY angry. YOU WOULDN'T LIKE ME WHEN I'M ANGRY.

and literally... that was that.

I LOVE that response doubtfulguest!! Truly a classic! Thanks for sharing it. I read it to my son and he laughed and said "good defense system!"

Hooray! Nothing like SEEING how much glasses were needed. I was able to start contacts by 5th grade at 11yrs old and they were even better in addition to slowing the rapid change in my sight every year. Most likely I could have started them in 3rd grade but those around me thought 5th was incredibly young already.

About the "new prop" for problems....My son's prism glasses make a phenomenal improvement in behavior for him. He's a much more resilient and flexible kid when he wears them. BUT he can see without them so he was very on and off about them. We finally added it to his Chore Chart App on the ipad and incentivized it enough that he is wearing them all day everyday now and everyone wins. He is so delightfully more himself when he wears them. I plan to wean down the points for wearing them as the habit gets more ingrained.

Slightly off topic...We LOVE our Chore Chart HD app and have put many motivating award options for our child like: go to the park, go to library, get a donut, dinner at his favorite restaurant, free app he wants, $2 or less App, etc. It costs us very little and he gets LOTS of motivation from the awards as well as the stars and trophies provided on the chart. It provides lots of control to assign, unassign, modify, give bonus and penalty stars. It's been wildly helpful in reinforcing positive behaviors we want to increase. Anything can be given as a task on his chart and he gets to personalize it with icons and backgrounds. We use it for specific social behaviors we want in varied situations in addition to typical chores. Truly a great parenting tool for us.