Wow Vision Therapy Blog
ADHD behaviors often a sign of a developmental vision problem
ADHD, is a well known condition that is associated with poor attention and concentration. As a matter of fact, in the April 12, 2024 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) News Brief, the headline reads: More Than 1 in 10 US Children are Diagnosed With ADHD. Included is the data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as shown in this graph:
This relatively common condition can vary in severity from individual to individual, but the result typically impacts school performance in reading, learning and other academic areas.
When a child has difficulty with attention and concentration, parents often struggle with what to do to find solutions. The process usually begins with a doctor’s evaluation that includes a series of questions to sort out the severity of signs, symptoms and behaviors. Then based on the severity of the symptom survey the next question is, what testing should be done to identify the cause of the signs, symptoms and behaviors?
One important diagnostic testing area to rule out for a child with ADHD behaviors is visual processing and eye coordination skills involving eye teaming, tracking and eye-focusing. The development of these areas in the human visual system are essential for attention, concentration and academic readiness and involves much more than the ability to see small print.
The process of testing these important areas of visual performance with our team of experts is comprehensive typically involving 2 hours. When completed, parents receive a 1 hour conference with the Doctor via Zoom and an 8 page written report with the diagnoses and when indicated, a treatment plan to remediate any visual delays plus a list of classroom accommodations that can help with a child’s 504 Plan.
To find out more about our comprehensive testing and solutions for your child with ADHD behaviors, contact our office and schedule an appointment with one of our Doctors. Or if you prefer, until June 14, 2024, you can take advantage of our FREE 15 minute Vision and Learning Vision Screening to see if your child has the diagnostic indicators of a vision related reading, learning and/or attention problem that would indicate the need for further testing.
Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FOVDR