IN ASSOCIATION WITH


School Bath Difficulty with reading?


If your child has a problem with reading they could be suffering from a little-known condition called visual stress, like high profile sufferer Kara Tointon. There is help at hand from local opticians though.


might beMearles-Irlen Syndrome.When these symptoms exist in children their education is at risk and very often they cannot explain what is happening.Meares-Irlen is a photo-sensitive disorder originally identified by psychologists in the United States. Later researched by British scientists it is known widely in the UK as visual stress (Meares-Irlen Syndrome). Kara Tointon, best known for her role in EastEnders and for winning Strictly Come Dancing, experienced another side to her career as a performer. For years she struggled with reading, convinced she had dyslexia. Eventually she was also diagnosed with visual stress. In fact, in an average class of 30 pupils, five to seven will have difficulty with reading.Many in this group could be suffering from long or short sightedness, or other visual conditions that can affect reading. But like Kara, they might also be affected with visual stress which is detected using coloured plastic overlays. This is an efficient way of identifying the problem and produces instant results. If overlays work then precision colour-tinted lenses can be prescribed using ‘Colorimetry’. ‘Colorimetry’ is a method of selecting lenses using the precision


C


technology of the Intuitive Colorimeter, developed by theMedical Research Council, Cambridge. This often prevents or calms visual distortions. Currently, testing for visual stress must be privately funded. If a prescription for refractive problems is also required the voucher for vision care for school-aged children can be used to include the coloured lenses. National coverage for testing with the Colorimeter is however inconsistent. Children who struggle to read are frequently labelled ‘dyslexic’.


This term, covering complex specific learning problems, might be appropriate, but the Department of Education recognises that some children are wrongly diagnosed and suffer from vision deficits including visual stress. Symptoms of visual stress are similar to those of dyslexia since both reading and spelling are affected. As Kara and others have discovered, once visual stress is


diagnosed, reading speed and accuracy frequently improves. Poor reading results in poor comprehension and reluctance to access information independently and read as a hobby. Children who find reading difficult will be less likely to communicate problems to teachers or parents, as the symptoms of visual stress are baffling and they realise that their experience of reading is different from that of other people. The Rose Review (2010), headed by ex-Ofsted inspector Sir Jim


Rose, identified visual stress as a factor in deterring children from reading and progressing through Key Stages. It described the need for overlays in the classroom and also described the use of coloured lenses. It dismissed the need for teachers to check or discuss with parents the need for vision testing. It is a significant step forward in government recognition that visual stress is associated with reading problems but policy needs to go further. Visual stress has been a topic of concern for ministers and the


use of overlays is embedded in schools. However, ministers fear teaching unions may object to their members being involved in the diagnosis of vision tests if they employ stringent rules. Reading difficulties are an educational need, vision disorders are a health authority issue. But both groups should be concerned with the best interests of the child.


Above: After visual stress has been diagnosed, reading with coloured overlays or lenses, prescribed with the help of Colorimetry, could improve reading age by one to two years


28


HANCES ARE you are reading this printed article black- on-white. This is not always the best format. Does the text blur, move around, shift or vibrate, and even jump? This


Parents are often frustrated by attitudes they face when


expressing concerns about their child’s literacy problems.Many schools are helpful, but some problem areas remain. SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) are aware of visual stress, but can only deal with children who are presented to them. In some schools it seems children who struggle to read, but have word recognition, are prevented from seeing a SENCO because other children who can hardly read are considered a priority. A simple test with overlays would establish if a poor reader could overcome difficulties and go on to be a normal reader. Overlays are cheap to buy, durable, safe, and easy to use. With the optimum overlay it is easy to observe improvement


in reading rate and accuracy in children with visual stress. In some cases there is a small improvement, but usually sufferers report greater visual comfort. It is not unusual, however, for improvements in reading age of one to two years to occur after a few weeks of wearing precision lenses. The introduction of the Wilkins Rate of Reading Test allows for measurement of speed and accuracy when using an overlay. There is no problem in giving children the overlays for several weeks to monitor improvements before advancing to the next stage of application of lenses. Overlays should be routinely used in schools but failing this


an optometrist who specialises in visual stress can also provide overlay testing.While it is essential for every child who presents with a reading problem to visit an optometrist who can check the refractive status, it is advisable to do this with a practitioner who also understands reading problems in relation to visual stress and can also provide the precision tinted lenses where appropriate. Visual stress is easily remedied through economical and


efficient means and can prevent jeopardising a child’s future in education. Surely that is a winning formula in difficult times.


WL


 For further help and a list of optometrists who provide Colorimetry within Wiltshire and surrounding counties, contact Christine Fitzmaurice on 01380 726448.


WILTSHIRE LIFE Schools Supplement October 2011


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32