The following story was featured as a case for study for an Internet seminar called Learning Problems: The Visual Connection. For more information, please go to http://www.digevent.com/events/client/COVD/02-01-31_visual/index.asp.
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Patrick was referred by a psychologist for a visual evaluation, December of 1996. Patrick was 7 years old and had problems learning to read. He was clumsy and had poor coordination. He had not yet learned to tie his shoes. He skipped lines and lost his place when reading, had poor reading comprehension, confused and reversed letters, words or numbers and his eyes would tire quickly. He avoided reading workbooks. His mom is a school teacher and he had had a visual evaluation the year before.

Patrick's teacher noted that he turned his head when he reads across the page. He loses his place often during reading, needs finger or marker to keep place, displays short attention span in reading or copying, mistakes words with same or similar beginnings, reverses letters and/or words in writing and copying, confuses likenesses and minor differences, repeatedly confuses similar beginnings and endings of words, comprehension reduces as reading continued, loses interest too quickly, makes errors in copying from chalkboard to paper on desk and rubs eyes during or after short periods of visual activity.

The psychologist referred Patrick because his testing scores were "consistent with his observed delay in some fine eye/hand coordination and even some large motor development. It may well be that Patrick has some difficulties in the visual/perception aspect of learning." Patrick's reading scores were very low. "It may well be that due to some aspect of visual processing or discrimination difficulties, Patrick is not perceiving words and letters properly, thus contributing to his difficulty in learning to read."

Patrick eyesight was 20/20, what most people call perfect. But when he looked up close he saw double out to 36 inches! No wonder reading wasn't fun! When he tried to use both eyes together he would switch from seeing double to single because his brain was turning off the image from his left eye.

Patrick was given glasses for all near work. The glasses didn't help him to see better because he already saw 20/20. It helped his eyes to work together as a team. Patrick also needed vision therapy. Patrick worked hard in vision therapy and made tremendous progress.

His mother wrote:
"The other day I received the results from Patrick Iowa Test of Basic Skills. I am so proud of him! I thought you would be especially pleased with his reading scores. Yesterday the lady from the library came to his school to sign the children up for the summer reading program. Patrick came home and read an hour's worth of reading all on his own, before he ran outside to play. He wants to read enough books to earn "the mayor's Award" this summer. I thank you from the bottom of my heart"

Very sincerely,
JoAnne

On the Iowa Test of Basic Skills Patrick scored at the 99 percentile in vocabulary, 93 percentile in reading comprehension and 98 percentile reading total. That from a child that used to hate reading and couldn't ever imagine that it could be fun.