Evaluation for Scotopic Sensitivity and Dyslexia - Referrals/Advice

My daughter has SSD (scotopic sensitivity disorder). This is NOT a visual problem and has nothing to do with her sight. Basically, it is a processing problem in the brain.
I used to spend HOURS with her every night working the reading assignments in elementary school. I kept telling them that I believe there was a problem, but I could not put my finger on it. She did not flip words, letters or numbers, so I did not suspect dyslexia. There were times a one page reading passage took us four hours to complete. She was always on honor roll and passed all the TAAS tests with flying colors, but it was because I had prepared her well in advance on what to do and how to read the test. I begged and begged to have her tested. I signed so many requests, but because she did not show "academic need", in other words she was not failing, they wouldn't do anything.
When she got to 6th grade, I cried to her reading teacher because there was no excitement in her reading. She struggled to read and therefore it began to show. She liked to read, but it was too demanding for her. FINALLY, one of the teachers at the school was trained to identify the SSD. I couldn't wait the time it would take to complete the paperwork, do the testing, etc. I found a place and took her on my own. The website of the clinic we go to is: ttp://www.zuccone-irlen.com/about.html
My daughter described the problem she was experiencing as the white part of the page would bubble up like marshmallows and swallow the words. She could see the first letter and she would just say what ever word she thought it may be starting with that letter, cause she could not see the rest of the letters.
Megan has been a patient of Dr. Zuccone's for 7 years now. She said it was a world of difference when she got her Irlen lenses. You don't have to buy the lenses, they do have overlays. But I have to be honest, as a teacher-I know the teachers can't ALWAYS make sure the overlay is being used. I bought the lenses to teach my daughter to be accountable for herself. This was something she had to live with and it would now be her responsiility to use the lenses, not someone else's to give them to her.
We go back every year to have her lenses checked for scratches, changes in colors, etc. I am not going to kid you-it is EXPENSIVE! The test (approx $350, the lenses (approx $500, the follow up visits(without changes- approx $150). But I wouldn't trade it for the world. She was finally successful on her own and that was worth it all.
Good luck, whatever you decide. Should you need further info or have any questions, please let me know.
P.S. My daughter never received special ed or 504 services. Again...no "academic need" and I wanted her to learn to take care of herself.

Although our son didn't have what yours may have, here is our experience. In kindergarten, we knew he was "different", but the teacher said, "he's a boy and he's left-handed. Give him time." Well, we kept trusting the "pros", and finally, after continuing to ask if there wasn't a problem, we took him to a private counselor and had him tested. Sure enough, MAJOR problems -- they kept saying "this child can't make those grades (looking at his report card)." He was tested near the end of fifth grade. The tester DID go to our first 504 meeting with us at the middle school and she and the school counselor were marvelous at getting the teachers to understand his limitations and what help he needed.

Just as a PS, he graduated from the University of Texas in 2005. Took him longer, as he couldn't take a full load, but he did it. And he refused any modifications there -- he had learned to deal with his limitations and work around them.

Hope this helps. Main thing is keep asking. I wish I had known that putting it in writing would have created a need to respond.

My daughter was diagnosed with Ocular Motor Dysfunction when she was in 3rd grade. I knew from kindergarten that something wasn't right with her reading skills but I didn't pursue testing then because her teachers told me she would "catch up". Well, she never did and so I finally got the school to test her for dyslexia in 3rd grade and we found out she wasn't dyslexic. I wound up taking my daughter to an optometrist in Magnolia (they also have an office in The Woodlands). It was a long drive but it was well worth it to finally know what was wrong with my her. The facility is called Child & Family Eye Care and the doctors were very pleasant. I did not continue going to them after the diagnosis only because of the distance to the office. I found another doctor in Houston who specializes in Vision Therapy. His name is Bruce Wick and he is really good with my daughter. Whenever he does assessments of my daughter, he provides me with a copy of the report and I provide a copy to the school. My daughter does not fall under 504 and I have never had to attend an ARD meeting. If you preasure the school to test your son, they will do it. Hope some of this helps and good luck with your son.

My 10 year old is scotopic and dyslexia. The schools did not want to test him either. Then I had a teacher tell me that if I put it in writing then they had to respond within 30 days. Once I wrote the letter they tested him within a week. Just an idea if you haven't written a letter to the school.