Attention disorder…or vision problem?

Attention disorder…or vision problem?

What a fantastic article that really helps drive home the idea that many attention disorders are actually Convergence Insufficiency in disguise. It links to several other articles, that I have not read yet, but sound like they might have lots of good information, as well.

Several of Dr. Martin's comments in this article hit home with our situation. For example, "...a child may not realize his vision isn't normal. All he knows is that reading and writing are difficult, and he will do just about anything to get out of it". Oh if I had a dime for every time we just thought Will was being lazy. That he just wanted to avoid doing the work because he didn't feel like putting the effort into it. Well, of course he didn't want to put the effort into it... because it was soooo much effort. And he didn't know that this wasn't normal. Actually, that is not true. He was starting to realize it and thought it was because he was "dumb". Which is even sadder, really. I think a lot of kids, who do not get the help they need, end up feeling this way. They can't help it. They know how difficult some tasks are for them, but they see many other friends who can accomplish these tasks easily. So, of course, they come to the conclusion that something is wrong with them (which it is), but it isn't that they are "dumb" or "stupid" or "they just don't get it". It is a tangible problem that can be corrected! That is the good news in all of this. Convergence Insufficiency can be fixed!

Getting the word out about CI

I think I have mentioned it before, maybe not, but I learned how to set up Google so that I get emails when anything is pulished to the web that mentions Convergence Insufficiency. It is this neat tool I stumbled on and I don't know if I could go back and figure out how to do it again (probably, I could) but I am so glad I did.

Sometimes I get really good info out of that! Like the other day. Through Slideshare, a slideshow was published, titled "Convergence Insufficiency. What Every Physician Should Know 3.0". You can see it by clicking the title. It is chock full of fabulous information. And although it is really geared towards doctors, it is easy to follow and really does some good explaining about what CI is. It also addresses the need for more physicians to recognize the symptoms for this.

So, I posted this link to my FB page on the morning I found it in my inbox. I got some interesting comments. People that didn't know my son was going through this. A family member who's own son was recently diagonsed (through a school vision test!!!). People asking how we figured it out. People just thanking me for the info.

I am continuously amazed that so few people know what CI is. Yet, if you read the information that is out there you find that it is actually a fairly common problem. There is a big percentage, according to this particular slide show, upwards of 13% of school children, that have this issue. It also quotes a study from 1996 that says 1 in 12 children have Convergence Insufficiency.

How do we get the word out? How many children are being treated (maybe even with medication) for other problems when, in fact, they have CI, and vision therapy could help them? It is a question I continue to ask myself. I post things to FB periodically, just to let my friends know about it. Hoping they will share with their friends, etc... I suppose that has turned into one of the missions of this blog, too. To help get the word out there. Provide information and a story behind the condition. Maybe we will help somebody with their own child or even themselves.