My son has improved reading by 3 levels since starting visual optometry with Howes and Brown in Meadowbank. It is time-consuming for the parent, but can be fun, however my lad is now able to tackle tasks that were well beyond him previously.
In addition, because visual optometry can pinpoint and quantify the processing problems that a child has, the school has stopped saying "oh well, he's only young, wait a while". Even they accepted that functioning in the bottom 10% of the population for tracking was likely to make it hard for my little fellow to read.
I am very grateful that there has been a way to acknowledge, ameliorate and act on my boy's issues now - he's six - and not leave him struggling and feeling inadequate as he grows older.
Evan Brown has worked with Finn, and has been very professional. Hope this helps.
Grant was recommended to me. My son had his eyes checked and is slightly far-sighted. During the exam it was noted that his eyes were all over the place and not tracking properly. I was told this would be a problem if he was not reading well. He reads extremely well but struggles with written work. I have seen him break out in a rash when made to write. He has worked with an OT. Is the tracking problem affecting his writing?
If people are interested, have a look at -
www.neurolink.co.nz
My daughter had tracking issues and mixed dominance problems. Before taking her to Neurolink, her eyes were jittery and would not track from one side all the way across to the other. After the first session - the next day, she could track evenly and smoothly from one side to the other. From then, she has gone on to have about 6 sessions and has jumped 3 reading levels in just over a month.
After three months work at home and five sessions with Evan Brown, my child's eye tracking/spatial co-ordination problems have all but disappeared. The work at home is very intensive and especially challenging when you have other children needing time from you, but really worth it.
My Six year old also goes to Howes and Brown. If you are going to take your children to an optometrist then why not choose one especailly for them? Just makes sense.
OK if you think your child has an eye tracking problem as he is missing words out, dropping endings off words etc - does anyone knwo a good person to see in Palmerston North.
It's Anita here. I know it's been a long time but for some reason I've been thinking about you for awhile so I know when that happens that I have to contact "that" person. I hope you get this. I just wanted to touch base with you and see how you are.
I've never forgotten you, Moya and I fondly remember a person who is focused, strong and determined in all that she is and does. You've been a source of strength and an example to me. I hope that you are well and would like to tell you that I am very grateful to have met you in my lifetime. You are indeed are a very special person and I am sure that all those that have come in contact with you will experience that as well.
Take care my friend. Stay strong an authentic to yourself and your family.
I have just been clearing out a draw stuffed full of letters and odds and ends, and found an old letter from you when Neda was just a few months old. So I thought I would "Google" you and see what you were up to!
Hope this is the right Moya Bawden! Hopefully you remember your strange English flatmates who rather foolishly bought an old holden ...Peter!!
Let me know what you are all up to. My email is above, and just in case it gets split up from this message - jsongi@dsl.pipex.com.
Love
Jan
PS Mark is fine, working in Frankfurt today but back tomorrow. We have four kids, two boys and two girls, the eldest is now 18.
PPS I have no idea what visual optometry is, but in my limited experience boys do start off very slowly - much more interested in Star Wars, etc to bother with anything academic. But later, given the right opportunities, they do make up for it! So with our youngest boy I have taken a very laid back approach, as I think time will show what he really can do.
Perhaps you better enlighten me on visual optometry - don't think it has got here yet.
Hi, does anyone out there have experience with Irlen Syndrome, and can enlighten me. My son is 11 and this has just been suggested to me. Where can I take him to be tested in the Warkworth and surrounding areas? Thanks people.
Kip McGrath centres are the ones who seem to have the knowledge about Irlen Syndrome, so maybe try them? It is something they test for and they can suggest strategies and programmes to deal with it. Don't know if their is a Kip McGrath in Warkworth, but there is bound to be one on the North Shore somewhere.
Ally Goodall does Irlen testing in Browns Bay. She and her husband, Terry, used to own Kip McGrath in Browns Bay but hace sold it. Think they are working from home in Browns Bay. Tell Ally I referred.
Hi All
Have had my daughters school mention to me about her eyes not tracking and have said about looking into this Behavioral Optemetry any numbers for Hamilton Cambridge area would really appreciate it
If looking for a behavioural/developmental optometrist, it's worth contacting your local SPELD association as they are usually aware of practising behavioual optometrists as it's part of their approach to childrten and learning. In fact a basic speld assessment can often lead in the right direction for lots of unknowns that may be affecting a child's performance.
John Anstice in Christchurch is a behavioural optometrist. There was also Mr Dunlop but he was killed in the Feb earthquake . Unless there is a new person who has trained, they were the only 2 in the south island.
I can recommend John. He has been and enormous help with my children
We too have been working with Evan Brown of Howes & Brown with our daughter (9) who is cerebral palsy/dyspraxic. We are nearly at the end of our 3rd lot of lessons (hopefully the last) and the improvement not only in reading, maths but general spatial awareness - unbelievable. Its an incredibly expensive therapy when you take into account 9 years of endless therapy and we travel from Albany to Meadowbank - but well worth it. Good luck.
Glad to have found this discussion - my son had an assessment for dysgraphia last week and one of the things the psychologist has recommended is that he be checked by a behavioural optometrist. She has recommended the one in Sunnynook.
Does anyone know how much this costs? The school paid for most of his assessment but I may be expected to pay the opometrist and my budget may simply not be able to stretch to it.
