HEALTHYkids M Child Reverse L tter and Wo ds Kids with eye movement disorders demonstrate below
average reading ability. The good news is that with very rare ex- ceptions behavioral optometry can resolve them. The bad news is that they rarely occur in isolation but are usually associated with focusing, teaming and perceptual dysfunctions.
Checklist for Symptoms of Poor Eye Movement and Tracking Skills
o Loss of place while reading o Re-reads words or paragraphs o Word or letter reversals o Reduced comprehension o Head movement while reading o Holds book very close o Poor copying abilities from chalkboard to desk o Poor attention skills o Misjudgments of distance, size and location in sports or play
T
rue or False? If my child reads or writes letters (words) backwards, he must see it backwards. Answer: False!
During the act of reading, eye movements give information
from the eyes to the brain and from the brain to the eyes. There are 3 different components: saccades, fixations and regressions. Many parents and teachers confuse these” eye tracking” prob- lems with dyslexia although dyslexic children can have vision problems too. Most children, however, have eye movement disorders without true dyslexia. Tate was seen 3 months before his 11th birthday because of
reading difficulties. The behavioral observations were numerous but several ones stood out: he bumped into objects a lot and while reading he would lose his place, omit, skip or re-read words or lines. Frequently, he would reverse words, numbers and letters while reading or writing. If these issues were seen 5 to 6 years earlier, it would not
necessarily indicate a problem. The persistence of reversals beyond the midpoint of 2nd grade should cause concern. Certainly, by 3rd grade a developmental optometrist should be consulted. Rote repetition of learning to write letters and numbers correctly (or right and left hands) does not address the causative factors. “When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.”(Anthony J. D’Angelo) Reversals reflect a developmental lag in orientation and
spatial development. Development of orientation begins in utero and through early infancy as the head and neck exert influence on the limbs and trunk. This leads to the purpose of vision. The visual process is not about clarity but about know- ing where you are in space. The first question is, “Where is it?” The second question is, “What is it?” The primary purpose of the visual process is to direct action (eyes-body-hands-feet). The eye muscles do nothing but faithfully carry out the orders of the brain.
MARCH 2007 15
Submitted by Mark Roberts, FCOVD of Specialized Visual Solutions, with offices in Greensboro & Asheboro. Contact 336.218.0491 or visit
www.svs-greensboro.com. See ad on page 47. Visit Dr. Roberts' booth at the Natural Triad Health Fair on March 24.
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