Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Irlen syndrome

Anyone heard of it? If so, what do you know? Will be screening DS for it next month.

What did you find out? From what I read, it's controversial and I don't know what to think of it. I tutored reading last year and tried putting colored overlays on passages of kids who had tracking issues. They all said the overlays were helpful, but only one boy showed a dramatic difference in reading fluency. He said that without the overlay, it looked like there were two layers of print and the colors made the words easier to see. Now my son has some vision issues (eye tracking). His OT suggested we try colored overlays, saying that they activate both the rods and the cones.

My DD was diagnosed with Irlen at 16yo (now 28yo) and it made a HUGE difference in her reading comprehension. The thing about Irlen is it is not just any colored overlay, it is a specific color based on the individual need of the person. We have trained screeners in our district and I have several GT students who use overlays, and almost all have a different color or color combination (some students use two different colors stacked). It also the combinations have to be stacked in the correct order - a student who needs rose/blue will get a different effect if they are stacked blue/rose. I can see how people would be skeptical; however, I know the HUGE difference it made for my own child. She struggled for years until I happened upon Irlen at TAGT and had her screened. I wish I'd know about this when she was 9 and started to struggle.