Ack...can you translate this paragraph from the developmental optometrist?

[kalanamak]

Ya know, I do have a medical degree, and I understand the words and all, but I can't tell whether she wants to see him back for a few hours of work or not. After the exam she trotted through 5 exercises for me to do at home. I had no paper, and tried to memorize as I went but POOF, it went, and I asked if she had any handouts, because I wouldn't be able to remember all that. She dug and gave me three, only one of which is one she taught me. The other two were wall fixation things she hadn't discussed. She parted with "see you in a year". Here is the last paragraph of her long report, with weaknesses in eye movement control, focusing ability and near (but not far) eye teaming.

"I have recommended a series of optometric vision therapy for X to ameliorate the visual skill deficiencies noted above. Vision therapy consists of a series of activities programmed specifically for the patient and will help X build more efficient and accurate focusing and eye teaming skill, and where needed better visual perceptual skills. Depending on the child's ability to learn, the embeddedness of the present problem, and the consistency in doing the assigned home vision therapy activities, I predict 12 hours will get X on the way and make the student more available to the classroom work. If you should have questions please call."

She was very lovely, and obviously skilled, and had been doing this for years, but I'm baffled. I have a big sob story about why I can't call now (I am laid up at home eating up my sick leave because I am in need of an urgent bladder sling and EVERY doc is booked for weeks out and I am on the cancellation list for everyone in a two county area and I HAVE to have the phone clear, as I am dressed, at the ready, NPO (it is like Ramadan here....I eat after surgery hours), with the car in the drive pointed out to DASH to the first opening, so I can have a total stranger MD operate on my hoo-hoo because my parts are falling out...and once the surgery is done, it is weeks of not being superwoman....and yes I have been to the ER and didn't get moved ahead, and on Monday I'm sending hubby out with cookies for the secretaries so they'll "remember me"....end of sob story).

Does this sound like he needs follow up or am I to hunt up these exercises down myself? I did find:

http://www.eyecanlearn.com/

which address those problems.
Thanks, and yes, I am not thinking entirely clearly as my parts are falling out and it hurts when I laugh.:bigear:

P.S: Hunting through the yellow pages while flat on your back could be an Olympic event.

[melissel]

Oh dear. It's impossible to tell from that, isn't it? It could be that she's recommending he see someone else for the actual therapy or that you're supposed to do it yourself, but I think she was rather remiss in not spending more time with you to teach the exercises, if that's the case. I think you're going to have to have DH call from a different phone while you think good thoughts about the phone calls you're hoping for.

And I'm sorry to hear about your hoohoo problem ;) I hope you can find someone to get you in soon. What a crummy situation!

[Anne Rittenhouse]

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[Julie in Monterey]

The report seems very form written. It's perfectly acceptable and expected that you follow up due to your uncertainty in understanding what is recommended and expected for your dc to improve his visual skills.

In this instance, it seems it would be best for you to contact and speak to the practitioner yourself. Do you have a friend or neighbor that from whom you can borrow a cell phone from? This way you can speak directly to the practitioner and keep your phone lines open.

Please remember, *you* are the *consumer* and your child's advocate! If you are unclear or feel rushed, speak up. It's their job to serve you but your responsibility to ask for the help you need. People often forget this when dealing with health care providers. I've been in a similar spot so I understand.

I hope you get your procedure soon!

Julie in Monterey

[saw]

had a different experience. We saw a developmental optometrist, who gave us the diagnosis and recommended glasses (to give the eyes a rest, not for seeing better) and therapy. We then went to the vision therapist (we don't live near the optometrist). The vision therapist has been in contact with the optometrist and has reviewed DD's diagnosis. On the basis of this, the vision therapist sees DD once a week for 45 minutes. She does exercises with her and monitors progress on the homework. Every week we get three new exercises, written down for us and kept in a homework folder we take back and forth. DD practices those every day and records this on the homework.

We did see one vision therapist a few years ago for ds who fobbed us off with one exercise and told us to come back in a year or so if we needed more help.

I think the thing with vision therapy, from what I have heard from other btdt parents, is consistency. It needs to be done every day. It helps us to have to go to the therapist every week for monitoring. I don't think I'd get this done on our own without that motivation.

This site has information on exercises. I haven't used it, just looked at it, but it might help you get started.
http://www.eyecanlearn.com/

I hope you get someone to operate on you! Best of luck with the waiting.

Sophie

[kalanamak]

Thanks all. I'm glad to see my powers of reading haven't muddied.

I heard this woman do a session with an 8 year old boy, and I thought she did a bang-up job. Even if she just meant me to do things at home, I'm thinking of asking her to do one session with me (although goodness only knows when that will be, as I can only be up about 30 minutes at a time without lots of spasm and pain) on hand to really understand. I wasn't really clear on how his performance was compared to a normal trend of maturing. I was a bad reader and uncoordinated until 7 of so. If it is just a little behind the pack, I'm happy to adjust his lessons until he catches up, too.

I like letters. I'm on my back these days. I'll write her a note, asking just what she meant, and could I do a session with her, regardless, and how will I know that this exercises are working, etc. She taught me so much and gave me so much info during our time there, it is hard for me to remember every little bit. It is clear she likes to teach!

Thanks again.