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Aug 29, 2003 Irlen Syndrome, A different look at Reading Disorders. What was once a common name for all reading disorders, Dyslexia has finally been defined and new more succinct variations have been discovered and given appropriate names. Where the term Dyslexia derives from the Greek, Dyslexia to see words differently, the root lex means letters or words, and dis means not of the norm, reading problems have been known about literally or centuries. Dyslexia, at one point in time could have been considered a cop out for lazy students, a term used for those who would not apply. But lucky we have not only gone backwards to see what we have missed but we have gone forward to see that we often were incorrect in our first assessments of reading problems. What can start off early in life as just a simple child¡¦s backwards letters can in adult hood become a problem, that has to be both diagnosed and over come. And the stigma that our grandparents may have had has to be eradicated. We are learning new things everyday, and because of that, definitive diseases and disorders have become common place and have taken their place in medical and diagnostic books. When we speak in general terms of dyslexia we are often lumping together many different type of learning obstacles together. The most common that teachers and educators and parents have been told to look for are the backward letters or sloppy handwriting, poor grades in various subjects etc. But what about the person that has decent reading potentials but often becomes tired or complains of visual errors. This is where Irlen Syndrome or Scoptopic Sensitivity Syndrome comes in. Take a person who sees normally for a majority of the world but the written word becomes mountains and pages of frustration because they see something different. Unlike common Dyslexia where letters are often backwards, Irlen provides us with a new view of disorders thanks to so many who have the disorder. No longer are just the letters backwards or missing, these seem to take on a life of their own. Visuals of the types of letters seen are those that come in flowing patterns, letters run together, double sets of letters, halos etc. These create for headaches, frustration, lost places, light sensitivity etc. And what is more is standard visual tests often are incomplete in the Optometrists office to detect problems. Diagnostically speaking, an opthamologist and neurologist are the ones that should have the tests to determine the level of involvement. Opthamologists battery of tests are often more intense and color and shade tests can be requested. A key to understanding and doing further screening may lie in the fact that many people with Irlen have color favors when reading. IN many a particular shed of pink film can improve or cancel out distorting colors. This effect was first known back in the 1800s when color blindness was being discovered and treated. And it is a form of color blindness in many optometry circles. In physiology of the eye, neuro transmitters and so on, the eye becomes sensitive; the neurons are highly stimulated to the point of overload. We can explain by example in this simple manner. When you have immense snow cover, you need to wear sunglasses to must the white and subdue the glare to pull items into focus. Shades of the lenses can be rose, blue gray, green. Etc. By finding the lens that makes your eyes feel better and you to see better you have blocked the light and glare to be more accurate. Irlen is the same way. Many think it could be the glare of the paper, it could be the sensitivity to light, it could be the hyperactivity of the cones and rods, and it could be loads of them lumped together. There is only one definitive thing; the person who has this has problems reading. Helen Irlen A psychologist is the woman who ¡§ discovered¡¨ the disorder back in 1984. Her findings give hope to many that may have been wrongly diagnosed, wrongly treated and often those who feel that they have been let down because no one knew. The good news is that there are many things connected with it that can help. In researching this, It was found that Vitamin deficiencies could be a cause of Irlen. Just as Vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness and light sensitivity, it has been thought that this could be one type or cause of Irlen, Another thought was B vitamin problems similar to pellagra could be a cause or factor, Another is corticosteroid, birth control pills, genetics, food allergies, injury etc. In truth there may be connected underlying causes that need to be addresses, but the idea is to get the person to be more confident and able to get past the problems of deciphering what is being read with as little complication and transition coping s possible. For that reason, Dr. Irlen developed and patented the Irlen lens. The Irlen lens is unlike the standard lens that Optometrists use to treat common color blindness. These are specific shades and tones of color. These color filters come in a variety of styles. Eye glasses, contact lenses, page filters. Page filters are full size sheets of the color that allows the person to read the written word without confusion, distortion or problem. These sheet colors also vary from one person to another. Once the correct color is found, then contact lens or glasses can be made using the same tonality and true pigment. Once these have been properly fitted and placed, often the person experiences fewer episodes and greater retention and advancements are made. It could however bee time consuming to detect the color that helps the most. It has also been suggested that different colors can help with different types of paper and ink. Usually however one specific color suits the reader best. One of the most common problems with diagnosing Irlen is the fact that the symptoms mimic and cover a broad range that can be simple astigmatism, glaucoma, cornea complication, or other asymptotic disorders. Indeed the screener for Irlen can suggest many other types of problems that can be corrected with surgery or corrective lenses. But what makes it succinct is when the person arrives and has been through these typical and common corrections with no improvement. And that is where definitive Diagnosis of Irlen is a blessing. Self-test for Irlen Syndrome Which of these warning signs do you or your children have? Some of these warning signs may show up in all persons' experience, but if you identify with several of these, a screening for Irlen Syndrome may be in order. Key symptoms are in bold. Irlen Syndrome--warning signs (All persons will not have all warning signs.) Reading difficulties: ƒß has poor comprehension ƒß skips words or lines ƒß reads slowly or hesitantly ƒß loses place ƒß misreads words ƒß reads in a dim light ƒß takes breaks or can¡¦t read for long periods ƒß finds reading gets harder or deteriorates with time ƒß avoids reading ƒß sees print that looks blurry or fuzzy or seems to move ƒß can¡¦t skim or speed-read (despite being an experienced reader); reads word for word (¡§I read aloud in my head.¡¨) ¡P Physical symptoms when reading: ƒß headaches ƒß eye strain ƒß nausea or dizziness ƒß fatigue or drowsiness ƒß restlessness or fidgety behavior ¡P Body language while reading: ƒß shades eyes to eliminate glare ƒß uses finger or marker ƒß blinks, squints, opens eyes wide or rubs eyes ƒß becomes restless or fidgety ¡P Writing difficulties: ƒß poor cursive writing; prefers to print ƒß unequal spacing ƒß inability to write on the line ƒß problems copying ƒß inconsistent spelling ¡P Strain or fatigue in other areas: ƒß strain or fatigue from computer use ƒß difficulty reading music ƒß sloppy, careless math errors ƒß misaligned numbers in columns ƒß ineffective use of study time ƒß lack of motivation ƒß grades do not reflect the amount of effort expended ¡P Depth perception problems: ƒß clumsiness ƒß difficulty catching balls ƒß difficulty judging distances ƒß additional caution necessary while driving It is not known how many people have been misdiagnosed or have undergone treatments and reeducation process for something as simple as color sensitivity. It is known that as we delve further into brain function in combination with ocular motor nerves, we see many more problems with light perception and light sensitivity. By using the screener above you can answer if your child or you have ever experienced any of the symptoms before. And if you have were they ever fully corrected by any other means. If they were not helped by conventional treatments, then chances are good that Irlen and color filters could be for you. Bibliography: and resources Reading by the Colors Helen Irlen ISBN 0399- 52736-2). http://www.irlen.com/research_edison.htm Bratty-Cat, Blinky-Roo, and Snooze-Bear Susan R. Smith http://www.evansconsult.org/is.htm http://wwwthelightbarrier.com ------------ Email Julia Sherman Talley: jimmysdevoted2@bellsouth.net Comment on this column in the forum. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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