My DS7 has been going to a development optometrist for about 1 year. When we started a year ago, the doctor estimated that DS would need about a years worth of therapy. For awhile, he was improving rapidly, but this last checkup, he had lost a lot of ground. This therapy is VERY expensive and my insurance does not cover it. I am beginning to question if it is worth the time and sacrifices our family is making to do it. Should I discontinue until DS is a little older? Is there a lower cost at-home program we could be doing? Should I just give in a do ADHD meds? Should I try the meds AND the therapy together, see if we get more consistent results. Sigh...... I feel so dejected right now. I work so hard to help this kid compensate for his issues, but it never seems to be quite enough. Now I am worried that I have been throwing away thousands of our hard earned dollars on a vain hope.
Can you get an independent assessment of the problems you're aiming to treat? (I.e. an assessment not done by the very person who wants to sell you more expensive therapy?)
ADHD meds would probably have different effects than the vision therapy; not knowing your situation, I'm curious as to why they would be the next option. I think you'd have to clarify what the problem is, what your goal is, then decide what path is more likely to get you where you need to be.
Is there a doctor guiding the overall care?
DeeDee
His eyes don't teem together, making it difficult for him to concentrate on visual tasks. Supposedly, when the eyes are trained to work together, attention and sensory integration in general are improved. The optometrist mentioned his inability to sit still and focus on the exercises as one of his challenges. I thought maybe meds would make it easier for him to focus on the exercises and as a result, perhaps make/retain progress a little better. Also, he absolutely resists his vision homework. I make him do it, but sometimes not as much or as long as I should. I get worn down. Perhaps meds for his ADHD would allow him to be more compliant with treatment, therefor helping us actually complete it sometime before a. he turns 30, and/or b. his father and I have completely sacrificed our entire retirement savings.
DS was diagnosed as dyspraxic and as having sensory integration disorder at four by an OT. We did OT for about a year, which helped some, but not a lot. We had more extensive evaluation done at age six. At that time he was identified as HG, also probable ADHD and dyslexia. Because he covers one eye when he reads or does close work, we did the developmental optometrist screening and found significant dysfunction in the way his eyes teamed. At first I saw good progress with the therapy, not only in his academics, but also in his attitude. But now I am wondering if it is time for a break. I guess if we see lots of backsliding, we could always go back. I am hoping someone here has been down this road and maybe has some insight for me.
Oh, and as an additional wrinkle, we need to start a gluten-free diet trial next week when we get back from camping. DS has had endless digestive issues this year. We did a test for celiac, but it was negative. I decided to wait until the end of the year, perhaps the problem was viruses and school stress. But no. If anything, the problems have been worse since he has been home. And it is not dairy alone. I have been watching him closely, and the dairy does not affect him immediately (or within a reasonable time frame) the way I have read that it should. I know several people who had a negative blood test for celiac, but were still intolerant. So there is that, too. There always seems to be so many unrelated problems with this kid. I KNOW that somehow they all fit together, but neither I nor any of the professionals can quite get it all sorted out.
Our first vision therapist told us that eye muscles continue to improve for a period of time after the exercises are stopped, which it did for my son. So it might not hurt to give it a rest especially if it's adding stress.
What we did was stop for a period of 3mths after which DS went for an assessment which showed improvement. But he still had some problems with near-far tracking. We found a second vision therapist who addressed this condition (he prescribed daily home exercises on a computer program - a lot cheaper). When we went for an independent review 6mths later, his situation improved further.
Our eye doctor teaches parents to do the vision therapy exercises at home. We go back in to see the doctor every 6 weeks or so for an re-evaluation. Maybe it would be worth it to find a new doctor. We have done the marsden ball, brock beads, push ups, and a few others that I don't know the name of. We do them daily, and are done in about 3-4 months.
I guess it is time to re-evaluate. Maybe finish up this month, then take a break. see how it goes.