Midday slate troy thompson: welcome to on the beat, everyone.
I'm troy thompson.
Joing me in the studio today is dr. anna claire spradling from columbus vision therapy.
And today we're talking all about, does your child need vision therapy?
It's fascinating.
I love this topic.
Last time you were here, you put me through my paces with what it's like for someone who's experiencing these issues.
So what we decided to do, we did a facebook call out to our viewers, and we asked them to send in some questions for you, some questions that they were feeling that they would ask you if they were walking in to the clinic.
So you're ready for this?
Ready to be put on the spot?
Dr. spradling: right.
Troy thompson: all right, so what are some symptoms should prompt parents or guardians to bring their child in for an evaluation?
Dr. spradling: that's a great question.
Many of these symptoms are going to surprise you.
So children that have difficulty reading, such as skipping words and lines, do they have headaches when they're looking up close?
Even kids that are clumsy, do they see doubling of words?
Those are many of the symptoms that are actually visually related.
Troy thompson: really?
Dr. spradling: mm-hmm .
Troy thompson: i'm going to jump in with this part of the question.
Would you just do a normal optometry exam to begin with, depending on what the mother's coming in and saying is wrong with the child?
Dr. spradling: yes.
So we would want them to have a regular exam- troy thompson: a full exam.
Dr. spradling: initially.
Yes.
And then they would come for a visual efficiency exam.
Troy thompson: got you.
All right.
What is the difference in visual efficiency evaluation and a regular eye exam?
Dr. spradling: so in a regular eye exam, we're checking do you need glasses?
Are you healthy from the front of the eyes all the way to the back?
In a visual efficiency exam, we say are your eyes working together as a team or your brain and your eyes working together as a team?
Troy thompson: okay, i got you.
Will these symptoms diminish once we start having vision therapy?
Dr. spradling: so our goal is absolutely to lessen these symptoms. as the patient learns how to use their eye movements correctly, those muscles, controlling those muscles better, whether it be relaxing their focus, contracting that focusing muscle, those symptoms should diminish.
I've had patients in the past that have been poor readers.
Their parents had repetive parent/teacher conferences.
And then after therapy, their children no longer had those near headaches.
They didn't see double.
And there were no more parent/teacher conferences.
Troy thompson: what's the youngest that someone would be experiencing this?
Dr. spradling: the symptoms?
Troy thompson: yeah.
Dr. spradling: yes.
So if we're starting to read, we're noticing it, even in first grade.
Children may just be inattentive at that point.
Troy thompson: okay.
So my question to you is, on this one, is this something that parents are seeing when their kids have the symptoms?
Because kids don't know what a headache is.
Dr. spradling: that's exactly right.
Troy thompson: do you know what i'm saying?
Dr. spradling: yes, absolutely.
Troy thompson: because children don't necessarily tell you that they can't follow the words or something's not clear, mommy.
I can't see that, daddy.
What are the signs that the parents should be looking for?
Dr. spradling: that's correct.
So many of the signs they may see is at home a kid is very resistant to reading.
They're very resistant to homework.
They struggle when they say i can't see the board or their notes are even very sloppy.
Could be something to look for.
Troy thompson: okay.
So it's more of a visual thing for us to be able to look at.
Dr. spradling: yes.
Troy thompson: all right.
Okay.
Now you said very young, so four or five?
Dr. spradling: yes.
I've even had a child as young as three in therapy.
Troy thompson: and up until when?
Dr. spradling: even age 70.
It depends on the diagnosis.
There is no age limit or starting point for vision therapy.
Troy thompson: okay.
Nonsurgical?
Dr. spradling: nonsurgical.
Troy thompson: nonsurgical.
How often should we be coming in before we start seeing some sort of fix?
Dr. spradling: so at three months we expect someone to have a little bit of improvement, but just like your jump shot, you hit a jump shot.
You don't stop practicing.
You have to keep practicing to master it.
Troy thompson: okay.
That was a sports reference and you completely lost me.
Dr. spradling: sorry.
Troy thompson: all i'm saying is practice, practice, practice.
Dr. spradling: that's right, that's right.
Troy thompson: thank you so much.
You're great.
We enjoy you coming in.
Dr. spradling: thank you very much.
Troy thompson: we really appreciate it.
If you want to find out more information there it all is up on the screen for you, columbus vision therapy.
If you think that your children is experiencing anything that we just talked about, give them a buzz.
They'd be happy to help.
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