Who's Smart and Still Can't Read?

By Therese M Griffin

When to Refer to a Neuro-Optometrist Chances are, many patients could benefit.

 

Tanya Polec, OD, FCOVD

 

AT A GLANCE

People who might benefit from a referral to neuro-optometry may include athletes after a concussion, adults with whiplash after a car accident, elderly people with balance issues, or seemingly healthy children who are struggling in school.  More than 50% of patients with traumatic brain injury have eye-tracking and ocular teaming difficulties.

 

Adding a brief neuro-optometric screening to the comprehensive eye examination and asking patients a few questions can help identify people who might benefit from a referral.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Therese M Griffin
• Release date: May 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201849184

Book preview

WHO’S SMART

AND STILL CAN’T READ?

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My experience with Vision

and Learning Disability

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Therese M Griffin, MA, AZ-LISAC

Copyright © 2021 Therese M. Griffin, MA, AZ LISAC

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.

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Edited by Michael Dues, Ph.D.

Senior Lecturer  (Retired) Department of Communication

the University of Arizona 

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Cover pictures courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Interior Format by Debora Lewis [e-mail]

Table of Contents

Note to Self as a 9-Year-Old Child

Foreword: Tanya Polec OD FCOVD

Foreword: Thomas M. Litwicki, M. Ed.

Preface

One: Therese Birth — 2 Years

Two: Therese: 3 – 5 Years

Three: Therese: 6 – 10 Years

Four: Therese: 11 – 17 Years

Five: Therese: 18 – 29 Years

Six: Therese: 30 – 34 Years

Seven: Therese: 35 – 38 Years

Eight: Therese: 39 – 41 Years

Nine: Therese: 42 – 43 Years

Ten: Therese: 43 – 45 Years

Eleven: Therese: 46 – 53 Years

Twelve: Therese: 53 – 56 Years

Thirteen: Therese: 56 – 66 Years

Fourteen: Therese: 66 – 71 Years

Fifteen: Therese: 72 – 74 Years

Sixteen: I am Going to the Store

This book’s references will embrace many different forms of Dyslexia that include other forms of eye dysfunctions as athletes' concussions, significant falls, balance issues, and healthy children struggling in school.

NOTE TO SELF AS A 9-YEAR-OLD CHILD

Hello, Child of God,

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I know you are saying, What? Your Wisdom at age nine tells you to fasten your seatbelt – we are going for a ride. Two days before your ninth birthday Mama goes to her heavenly home. You will not understand the words from Grandma: If your mother didn't have you later in life at age 38 years, she would still be alive today. What did that mean? How did I make my mother die? Mom didn't die in childbirth! A teacher’s words in grade school: Sit down – you can’t read. You know the subject – can’t pass a written exam. Grades were C-D-F’s.

You will start your road to alcoholism at 18 years old. You will realize that Grandmother’s web trapped you in her nonexistent grieving process and anger with grandfather’s alcoholism. You will have a Learning Disability that no one understands.

A new day will begin at 29 years, in a strange world of recovery. You change: What do you expect from a Dummy? Only a factory worker. You know I Can’t Read! You will change ‘I Can’t to Yes, I Can!’ You find new insights to develop Special Accommodations before becoming a coined phrase to receive a BA/MA and AZ Licensed Addiction Counselor. At 70 years, you will learn the concept of Vision Tracking Disability. For the first time that you will read a book, not on a CD. A dream will begin to come true – writing your memoir. The most significant gift became changing your Attitude to Gratitude.

Peace and All Good, Therese

Note to Self – Sent to Gail King Contest April 2018

FOREWORD

Tanya Polec OD FCOVD, Board Certified

Vision Therapy and Visual Rehabilitation

https://www.vqvision.com/

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I will never forget Therese. She came into the exam room knowing what she needed. She understood that she was having severe difficulty with visual information, and she needed help to figure out how to train her vision. There was a hospital training exam she needed to pass, and she was having great difficulty getting that done.

As I began testing her, we found her clarity in each eye was good. The difficulty that she faced was enabling her eyes to move as a team at a distance and near and how to follow a moving target.

It is challenging for me to explain this to patients with 20/20 acuity, as that visual standard is only one piece of the pie! I often make an analogy that the visual system is similar to using two cameras. Each camera is pointed at the object of the picture. Then the camera is focused on clearing the image, and the last step (since we have two cameras) is to have them observe the object from different angles. Why? So you don’t have a blurry or a double picture and observe depth in the object.

I remember smiling when Therese talked about how she used Pac-Man as her secret weapon at the time to help her eyes learn to track. There is an activity Vision Therapists use that is similar to make sure the eyes are following where they are intended to go so that the attention follows!

We have many cases daily that exhibit similar symptoms as Therese’s. Difficulty with reading, omitting words, substituting words, and even just losing attention could constitute a learning disability. So often, it goes without question is why? Why is their auditory system so strong? Why not test them two ways – first having them read, and then having you reading to them to see if there is a difference.

Therese is a gift to this world. She is resilient to face