Just wondering if anyone has been successful in getting help with visual perception problems through the school DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. We gone the route of private vision therapy. Very expensive (not covered by insurance) and the work that it takes is exhaustive on top of LD child trying to complete homework and vision exercise nightly. I feel that if it is imperitive to his education that he receive this sort of therapy, that is what should take priority during the school day. At this point I believe it is more important to my son’s success than Media Resource (fancy name for computers in the library). We have not been successful in convincing the school because they do not want to pay for it. Also, does anyone know what a vision intinerant does in a school district? Might visual perception be covered under this or even OT?
Re: help for visual perception
4th of July that is very helpful.
My son also has visual perception issues also bilateral motor deficits sequencing issues. He gets OT in school and I am trying to get OT over the summer through my insurance. (oxford) The OT he has received at school has made a huge difference in many areas.
Sounds like they will pay. My issue is that I want him to do Interactive Metronome through a particular OT. IM is a great program for issues of sequencing, disorganization, and other motor concerns. Oxford requires you use an in network OT. Thing is I may be able to get around that because they don’t have an in network Pediatric OT in my area. The OT I want to work with has a great deal of experience. She is willing to give him more extensive tests than the school system allows. She said that insurance should cover this. She knows my sons school OT and she says she can give her even more feedback on how to help him when he gets back to school in September.
Please everyone wish me luck getting this covered. I have quite a few more hoops to jump through. My doctor has to get on board which I think she will. Getting your primary care physicians support is key.
I guess a clue as to what they will cover is they will cover motor dysfunctions my son has a bilateral motor deficiency so he is covered. They won’t cover developmental issues. This is just what I have experienced, I am sure all situations could be difference.
A good OT should know what is usually approved and know the codes that insurance will accept.
I guess the school system limits interventions to academic areas. If your child has an ld that affects his writing they look toward specific interventions that improve his writing. Same with reading etc.
It is good to know that medical insurance can help to fill in some of the gaps that the school system is not funded to accomodate.
I am also getting my son tested by a behavioural optomotrist. I don’t think I will have as much luck getting this covered. I am actually surprised to hear Aetna covers this.
I am hoping that the OT can design interventions based on the behavioural optomotrist findings. These interventions would be covered under OT. She seemed to indicate that she could.
Gotta go, I see some more hoops I need to jump through.
Very unlikely that the school will conduct the same type of services your private physician is conducting. My 2nd grader is dyslexic and we were taking him to vision therapy on Saturdays, OT Therapy twice a week and reading therapy twice a week. Something had to go! We spent 15 hours a week taking him or sitting and waiting for him. Both my husband and I are working parents. We did independent psychological testing and the recommendation was to focus on the therapy which would address his biggest issue- reading. So we only do the reading sessions twice a week.
My insurance, Aetna, covers vision therapy 70%. Does your insurance cover any type of vison therapy? What coding did your doctor use? Vision therapy may be covered if you use someone in network. Another strategy is to get a few diagnosis codes your doctor would feel comfortableusing, then call up[ your insurance company and ask them if the codes are covered benefits. The insurance company will not give you the codes they will cover, but they have to tell you “yes” or “no” if you give them a diagnosis code.
If your child is getting pull-out LD services (or even if he is not) you can ask your vision therapist to make recommendations for vision accomodations in the regular classroom or in his pull-out classes (for example: only one problem written on a page, assignments dictated to him, assistive technology). This can be considered during your IEP sessions. Also, request in writing that your child receive all the types of testing the school system does (i.e speech and language, OT etc.
Hope these suggestions help!