I was reminded today that summer was over when I found out it is already time to start scheduling parent-teacher conferences at my son’s school. It served as a reminder that it is that time of year again when we as parents switch from the summertime responsibilities of lifeguard, sandcastle builder and referee to tutor and educator.
As we attend our children’s conferences some of us will get reports that glow with praise of how well the child is doing in all subjects, others of us will hear that the child is struggling in some areas. Every year our school systems allocates a significant amount of time and resources to test and diagnose children for learning disabilities.
In the book, The Misunderstood Child, Dr Larry Silver discusses various types and degrees of learning disabilities. While reading the book, Dr. Silver reminded me of a fact that seems so second nature to me, but is definitely worth sharing with all parents. 80% of what a child learns is taken in through their visual system. Imagine trying to learn how to read your first book without being able to clearly see the words, or trying to learn how to multiply numbers without being able to tell if the number is a six or an eight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2 in 3 children enter school without ever having a vision screening. Consider the facts below and do you child a favor; Schedule an eye exam and ensure their school year is a great one!
“25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning.” – American Public Health Association
“When vision problems go undetected, children almost invariably have trouble reading and doing their schoolwork. They often display fatigue, fidgeting, and frustrations in the classroom—traits that can lead to a misdiagnosis of dyslexia or other learning disabilities.” – American Optometric Association
“It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem.” – Vision Council of America