Movement

You have to wonder if the fact that is eyes did not get all of the tracking practice from not being able to read hasn’t affected the strength of those muscles. Does late reader = late tracker?

I thought this at first so didn’t go after the tracking specificly but I can now see that it is slowing him down so we do the exercises.

Laura,

RAN has a visual element to it but usually it is the integration with verbal that is the problem. This is the seeing the symbol/picture and being able to rapidly name it. Of course, you have to visually process first.

The skipping around are classic signs of visual issues, although again it is hard to be sure. Part of it is that if there are RAN problems, it all takes more work. So if he is focusing on harder words, he may just not pay enough attention to the easier ones. Have you tried using a pen (top in) to follow along word by word? Does he do better if you point to each letter?

We started out with visual issues at the same time he was diagnosed with auditory processing problems. I went to the developmental optometrist exam and could see his eyes jumping around. He was 7 at the time. At that point, he could not read so there were no reading issues. I really was just trying to be thorough. But, as I have said before, we got limited “cure” from therapy because of his approach (no movement). It has taken a long time to figure out exactly what the issues are. And I will tell you that while my son is vastly improved, he still will skip or miscall words.

I agree with Karent that it is the combination of problems that is the issue. At the end, my son’s tracking was good IF there wasn’t any stress. (This was according to another OD I took him too when he continued to have problems). The problem obviously was that reading was a huge stress for him. But I honestly think IF he didn’t have RAN issues, IF he didn’t have auditory processing issues, then the level of remediation would have been sufficient. The problem is my son is naturally weak in all areas related to reading so you really have to do as much as you can in all areas.

BTW, my son read a paragraph from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to me last night. Only word he didn’t know was furious—which pretty much describes how he felt when I made him read it. He loves stories–but has abs. no interest in reading them himself. I think it still is just too much work. I’m beginning to think it may always be.

Beth

Beth,
Thank you for explaining that connection between RAN and vision/language integration. I guess it’s extremely difficult (maybe even impossible) to know just how much vision plays in RAN deficits when there are no obvious vision difficulties. To me it’s still mind-boggling to imagine how a subtle vision problem could create such a huge problem with reading. Of course, considering the addition of other deficits makes more sense. I keep thinking that I can remediate this with a single approach and I may just have to accept that I need to use a variety of approaches (you are a good example of that!).

My son does have an easier time if I point underneath each word with a pen or my finger. Usually I only do this when he makes an error (so I’m not always verbally saying “Try again.”). But he’ll still make errors even when I point to the word.

And once in while (but this is kind of rare!) there’s the classic starting the sound of the word with a letter that’s at the middle or end of the word. And then when I ask him how it starts he’ll keep saying that incorrect letter sound!!! But then realize it is wrong and give me the correct one. Again, insisting there is NO problem with the way he sees it. Only that he’s forgotten the sound or has not “looked at the word carefully” (and maybe this statement…not looking at the word carefully— indicates a vision problem??? Maybe an attention problem???).

I wish all of this were easier. Well, right now I’m trying to set up IM, but it looks like we may have to wait until after the holidays (unless I can convince them to start us sooner!). I guess that will be our first step into areas beyond “home therapy!”

Good point about the “pile-up” of deficits! And one thing making it difficult to focus in on one is when they are all realatively mild.

Linda,
It’s interesting that your son has noticed print moving. That would convince me my son has a vision difficulty.

I’ll have to look up the exercises for Pursuit Eye Movement. Although you’d think a child who is great at video games would have good pursuit eye movement (?). I’ve focused more on Binocularity, but will look more closely at the book. You’re right about there being almost too many exercises in it!

Laura, what you are describing is exactly what my ds was doing while reading only a few months ago. He didn’t attribute the mis-reading to visual problems either. His complaints about his eyes etc were independent of specific decoding problems.

I’ve noticed a huge improvement in tracking lately (IM? ) and more accurate “seeing” of the letters. I do kind of think the more he reads the better this stuff will get on its own, but he may need VT to fully remediate this area. I also think he’s reading more carefully now that he can decode better (PG?). I keep thinking of some of Victoria’s posts where she explains that going slow at the beginning is OK as long as he’s actually decoding and not guessing.

The visual side is not, I believe, an area where he has a deep deficit. Just a piece of the puzzle.

I don’t think it is a subtle vision problem that is causing such a big difficulty with reading. If he has a subtle vision problem that is causing problems, it is because there are other not so subtle problems.

I suspect that he may have some visual issues but that it is the integration that is the real problem. But if you peel off parts of that onion, you have less left.

BTW, IM did not cause my son’s rapid naming to improve on its own but it certainly pushed us through a wall. So I think there is something about the therapy that helps RAN. I think the therapy pushes integration which is usually the problem behind poor RAN. I don’t know if you will get the same results as we did without following up with NN like we did but you might. I know after doing The Listening Program my son was capable of manipulating sounds. I didn’t follow up on it very much, having burnt out with PACE exercises. Now 10 months later, he can do it. His teacher worked on it at school but I worked with him intensely for months without success. So obviously, at least to me, pushing the wall down for learning is critical.

Beth

The whole thing about IM is amazing. My son is doing new things all the time that he couldn’t do before, or at least didn’t do before. I think IM opened up something in him. He is still behind because he spent all those years learning everything through a very inefficient system, but I believe IM is the key that unlocked his ability to acquire new skills.

He still has to work at things but he doesn’t have to work as hard. Even the circle ‘e’s are coming along quickly. He now doesn’t even mind doing them so I know they are getting easier because he dreaded them in the beginning.

He dramaticly dropped his time on the block game we were doing for fixation. He is down to 2 min and 20 seconds. For comparison my score is 1 min and 45 sec and when he started he was around 4 minutes.
This improvement happened much quicker than I have seen him improve in skills before. So, he still needs to work at developing new skills but they just seem to come with less work.

IM is like a food processor for our little onions.

I taught last night and my husband told me that his soccer coach wants him on a feeder team for travel. I guess they have a trainer who comes out and gives the kids specialized instruction. He was telling my husband how much potential Nathan has. Now realize this is a kid who two years ago we had to switch soccer teams because the coach (against AYSO rules) was barely letting him play because he was so bad!!! Last year, after Neuronet, he was average. IM just did something to his coordination—it is truly amazing.

I told my son that I know he hasn’t liked all the therapy but it is because of it that he is now such a good soccer player. My five year old told me he wants to do therapy too!!!!

Beth

Soccer…..my husband is the coach and my son is the worst player on the team. Even if it didn’t help with reading, if it could help with sports that would be nice…just to help build confidence. He doesn’t have to be the best on the team, but just average would be nice.

Now, if I could ever pin one of these therapists down!!! I’ve called many times and they are impossible to get a hold of – and faraway as well! :-(

I think I’m going to follow Karen’s route. First, IM and then vision therapy. Fortunately there’s a great vision therapist very close to my home!