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Confessions of the Mother
of a Kid with ADHD
By Dr. Kathy Hotsenpiller
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 My oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD shortly after he turned four. After many attempts to modify his behavior, and countless trips to the therapist to work on his "sensory integration" issues, I gave in to the recommendations of the child psychiatrist and started him on medication. At first, I was reluctant to put him on meds. However, I was also getting concerned that his behavior may affect him socially and academically.
I see a lot of kids in my optometric practice and I've seen many vision disorders misdiagnosed as behavior problems. Being an optometrist, I should have really known better, but it didn't occur to me to check his eyes. I thought to myself, "Surely I would know if my son was having trouble seeing." When I did finally bring him into my office, I was quite surprised to discover that he needed glasses!
Glasses Make a Big Difference
His glasses have really helped him focus and pay attention to his schoolwork. The same week that he got his new glasses, I forgot to give him his meds one morning. I was really worried that his behavior would be disruptive and that he would have a hard time paying attention in preschool that day. Much to my surprise, no one seemed to notice that he didn't take his meds that day. I even thought that he was acting quite well behaved when I picked him up. The next day, I "forgot" to give him his meds again. After several weeks of no meds, I confessed all of this to my daycare provider, and she told me that she has been having LESS behavior problems with him since he had gotten his glasses! He also seemed to be able to sit still longer so that he could work on his fine motor skills, like writing his name. I'm not saying he's no longer an active child (soccer practice is still a HUGE challenge), but I really think his glasses have made a big difference. Clear, comfortable vision is critical to learning, and kids don't know when they aren't seeing clearly!
If your child has been diagnosed with learning or behavior problems, don't forget to get his eyes checked! It can take a child with a vision disorder much more time and effort to learn the same thing as a child who doesn't have trouble seeing.
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