smuga@mtuxo.UUCP (j.smuga) (06/26/85)
For about 2 years my daughter Claire has worn bifocals to correct a "muscle imbalance" which causes her right eye to turn towards the bridge of her nose when she does close work. Claire has just finished kindergarten; she is six and a half years old. Recently, her teacher sent home some beginning readers, and we discovered a new problem -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I've had a great many troubles in my time, and most of them never happened. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
smuga@mtuxo.UUCP (j.smuga) (06/26/85)
Sorry, I was interrupted before I could finish my posting! Anyway, the trouble is that Claire can't seem to see all the words on the page. Sometimes she skips an entire line, or she complains that the words "change" or they "jump off the page". I blamed the bifocals; I was wrong. I first went back to the opthamologist who prescribed the lenses, even though he had seen her just two months before. He was very sympathetic, but his only advice was always to be very careful that the glasses are fitting correctly. I next visited another doctor recommended by my pediatrician, actually a pair of doctors as it turned out. They expressed great approval for the bifocals; it seems doctor #1 has done exactly the right thing. They also suggested a 12-week course of therapy in the form of exercises for Claire's eyes. The therapy sessions would last about 45 - 50 minutes once a week and cost $35 a session. I don't want to send my child to first grade with what amounts to a physical handicap if I can help it, so here are some questions: Has anyone out there had any experience with this kind of problem and therapy? Was the therapy effective? With both my husband and me working, time becomes a factor; could we (although I don't like this solution much) entrust the therapy to our sitter (a dental assistant who has quit work to have a baby)? Thanks in advance. Janet Smuga -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I've had a great many troubles in my time, and most of them never happened. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
whitehur@tymix.UUCP (Pamela K. Whitehurst) (07/02/85)
In article <763@mtuxo.UUCP> smuga@mtuxo.UUCP (j.smuga) writes: >They also suggested a 12-week >course of therapy in the form of exercises for Claire's eyes. > >The therapy sessions would last about 45 - 50 minutes once a >week and cost $35 a session. I don't want to send my child >to first grade with what amounts to a physical handicap if >I can help it, so here are some questions: > > Has anyone out there had any experience with this > kind of problem and therapy? Was the therapy > effective? > > With both my husband and me working, time becomes a > factor; could we (although I don't like this solution > much) entrust the therapy to our sitter (a dental > assistant who has quit work to have a baby)? > >Thanks in advance. > > Janet Smuga My daughter went through vision therapy in 4th grade. There was a 45 minute weekly session and 1/2 hour of exercises at home each day. She hated it. However, the changes were dramatic. It was worth putting up with her protesting. Before the therapy she could not copy sentences from the board without leaving letters out, even when the teacher told her it was very important, and she hated reading. Now she enjoys reading and even writes her own stories. Her self image improved tremendously when she realized why she was not doing as well as the others in her class and that her work was improving. -PKW-