I Need Resources for a 4 Year Old Who Is Not Blind, but Has Vison Problems

Hi M.,
First thing you need to do is to have your opthalmologist help you get him classified as visually impaired by the state. It sounds like he will need special services in school when he starts K so it baffles me why the school district in Richardson does not think so. Did you ask to have him tested by the district's assessment team? These are all things you will want to do. If your district has an early childhood school, you can call them and ask about it..or call the district directly but first, ask your doctor to get the disability...then go to the district with it. There are required by law to help.

M.,
Check again with your school district. They should provide something called ECI. Early Childhood Intervention. Talk to someone in the Special Education Department. If they still do not help. Call Region 10 Education Service Center in Richardson. They should be able to provide you with services or resources to assist. They are responsible for providing services to the school districts in their area and will also have a special education consultant who can assist. They may also have a Visual Impairment Specialist. Don't accept, He's not bad enough. Finally your opthamologist should have resources as well. Keep at it. Don't let it go too far.

I'm surprised that RISD doesn't have better resources. I have a child who is legally blind, but we can correct him to a certain degree with glasses. We are also starting kindergarten and I'm a little freaked by it too. We see an awesome pediatric ophthalmologist - you might try yours and see if they have any thing they can suggest. I think Scottish Rite does some testing for developmental issues and that might be another place to check. You also need to have your ophthalmologist tell the school board in a letter what is required to help your child do well in school. They are suppose to get you what you need so your child will succeed.

My mother, who is a retired reading specialist has told me in her experience that children with vision issues do better if treated like a child with dyslexia. She says it has something to do with the neuroconnectors in the brain.

You might even check with other school districts to see if they have better programs. DISD has a program, but only for the blind. Plano ISD has a very good early intervention program. You might also ask your regular pediatrician for programs.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

I cannot believe that!! Your son is developmentally delayed due to his vision. That is ridiculous. My son is 6 years old and has cortical visual impairment, nystagmus and strabismus, too. He gets vision therapy at school. We are in the Lewisville ISD. I would check out Children's or other children centers and see if visual therapy is available. Have you tried a light box in a dark room? It works for my son. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

Hi M.

Please check nacd.org. They make an individualized program for each kid they work with. I have seen two legally blind kids start seeing after they did nacd program. They have helped some severely disabled kids to function normally. I am doing it for my severely speech delayed kid who is thriving now.

Good luck

M.,
Hi, My name is V. and I am a Special Education teacher in Plano. I absolutely understand the worry and anxiety about having a child with disabilities. I would contact Richardson ISD and ask if they have a child find representative. This is a reporting service to help identify children with disabilities. The other thing you can do is look up your local early childhood intervention services for your area. It is pretty easy to find. Just google early intervention for children and it should provide a number. If you can't find it, just contact the school that your other son attends.
I can tell you that there are a lot of tools out there to help your son. I currently work with a student that had similar problems, but they have provided many things for him to be successful. We has a laptop in class that scans things at a font size that he can see, he has enlarged books for reading and he has a monocular that he basically uses to see things up close. He is an amazing young man. He has lots of friends and is very successful in shool. The best thing you can do for your son is get interventions now. The earlier he learns how to adapt the better his chances are for a successful and happy education and life. The student that I work with has a vision specialist that works with him 3 days a week. He also has a life skills or adaptive professional to teach him to do things like cross a street and do things on his own. It is amazing what kids can do when given the right tools. I hope this helps.
Good luck with your son. You will have to be his advocate so be ready to ask questions and ask them to provide the best possible plan for your child. Children grow when given the right tools to be successful.
Take care

I have several clients (I work in pediatrics) who have been thrilled with Dr. Charles Shidlofsky (sp?). He is located in Plano, at Parker Rd. and the Tollway. He has worked wonders with them, and every parent I know, has been thrilled with him.

Good luck,
S.

You can try the Callier (spelling?) Center. I think they offer vision services. Easter Seals in Carrollton.

Even at 4 you should be able to contact your school district to see if there are any services they can provide now since it may interferre with learning.

Hi M....I have a daughter with vision problems also. She's also 4 and has been with glasses since she was 1. One thing that we're working on now is strengthening the right eye so she has to wear a patch over the left eye for 2 hours a day. One thing I plan to do when she enters public school is to call a 504 meeting to put her disability in writing. That gives the school a little more accountability as far as the disability is concerned. Anyone can call a 504--parents, teachers, even the student. I just want all parties involved to acknowledge my child's condition as a disability and not just a cute pair of glasses. You need to talk with your pediatrician and ophthalmologist too. A note form them will make schools "jump to it" as well. Gook luck!

Ok, Mom. Start with going and finding out all services that you believe your child needs. Get your Dr to give needed information to show to the school district. I was in RISD for 15 years. It's a good district, but sometimes you will need to stand up for your child and not accept what they say. They many resources and although I do not know your specific needs, check into your elementary and see what programs they have. You may need to put your child in another RISD school if you discover that a certain school has a program that will benefit your child. Start today. Also if all else fails call the Superintendent and schedule a meeting. Also, Luke Davis is on Board. Call and make an appointment with him. Don't give up.
Many may not agree with me, but get your husband involved. For whatever reason, RISD gets a little more proactive if the husband is involved.
Hope this helps. Good Luck

He has already aged out of ECI services, but let the district know you are aware of the federal Child Find program and ask about services through that. You'll probably need to learn the educational diagnostic codes for your child's condition, because without that label, I'm afraid you won't get squat. If the school's evaluation won't get him the services you feel he needs to be successful, the school is obligated to provide and IEE, which is an independent evaluation funded by the school. This is federal law, and make sure you let them know you are aware of it. When they say "This cannot happen" be sure to ask them to show you where that is state in the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Texas has a reputation for ignoring those pesky federal laws, particularly when it comes to schools.

Silly, aren't we? Assuming the schools are out for our child's best interest and have a shred of common sense in them?

Also, read this website so you know your child's rights: http://www.wrightslaw.org

And get on local listservs with other parents dealing with similar vision impairments. You'll learn a lot from other parents.

If you don't get what he needs, please invite your state representative to join you at any meetings with the school. It's amazing how the presence of a reporter, lawyer or legislator at an ARD meeting can change things, and your child may have all sorts of great services heaped on him at least for a while.

M.,

I just attended a breakfast for the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) this week and they help sight impared as well as blind. I would contact them and see what information they can provide you. I know their mission is to help kids at a very early deal with their disability and thrive. They were so nice and have there national convention in Dallas this summer. They also have a parents network. Hopefully they will be able to help and give you good advice.
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Default.asp

DON'T GIVE UP! COntact the Region 10 Service Center (they are part of the school system)and ask for help. Contact the Dept for Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Division for Blind Services 1-800-687-7017, ask for advice. You would be suprised how often the schools will deny services because they don't know any better. Good luck, and if none of this works, please feel free to email me again and we will find another way. My son is legally blind with health issues and I am involved with many resources!
K.

hi M.
i'm an art teacher, i used to teach a little girl w/ a similar problem though she was a few years older than your son.
i have some ideas on how to help him see things he's drawn, and help him in that area but that's the extent of my knowledge on how to help.

i know there are other resources as i have friends and a brother who all have children w/ either autism, downs, or other syndroms. you just have to keep pushing and asking for help. i know it seems too much to have to do sometimes but the resources are out there. have you talked to anyone at children's hospital? they may have info for you that might help. ???????

email me if you're interested in more in depth ideas about showing your son how to draw etc. i can help w/ that.

D.

Hi, I am an optometrist in the area and while I don't specialize in pediatric cases, I may be able to help a little. First, you need to find a pediatric optometrist who practices vision therapy. Your son is young enough where Vision Therapy (VT)is incredibly effective. VT is a extended series of exercises that the eye doc performs in office to help amblyopia/strabismic cases. Then the doc will give additional vision strengthening exercises for the child to do at home. The therapy may range from 6 months to a few years. I don't know what your child's vision is, but in most cases VT helps to improve not only the vision through glasses, but also helps to control the eye turn to a certain extent. It could also be that over time, as your child wears the glasses continually the vision may improve to some degree.
You're welcome to contact me if you have any questions.
Good luck! C.

Check with The Lighthouse For The Blind in Dallas, they care for visually impaired as well. I use to make beeping easter eggs for their egg hunts. My heart goes out to you. Get him toys that have sounds as well as pictures like the one that show a picture of a cow and moos. My child had strabismus and it varies in degrees but the Dr told me to take a toy or object and have my child follow it with their eyes. At first I had to patch the good eye to make the weak eye work. I bought a pirate patch and let him pretend he was a pirate looking for gold. Then take the toy and go right to left, up and down and then at angles several times a day. Do not do this exercise when they are tired because the eye is tired too according to the Drs advice. This strengthened the muscles that control the eye movement. It healed the strabismus for my child and no surgery was required. Hope this helps.