Hi Lynn,

I'm pleased to hear you've identified Sams difficulties and Sams
finding his lenses helpfull.
>
Your experience of teachers calling Sam lazy does not surprise me. I
had many teachers calling me lazy. When I was 17 and really
struggeling, my mum asked my teacher if I may have a learning
disability. She resolutely assured her I hadn't. Soon after we went
for a private dyslexia test, and was diagnosed as dyslexic. It
wasn't untill I was 25 at University, having developed disabling
photophobia that I went to student services and they diagnosed me
with Irlens syndrome.

Your experience with the doctor sounds familiar too. Even as an
eloquent 28 year old, my doctor forgets what I tell her and tells me
my symptoms are illogogical. I am about to change doctors.

I'm so glad to hear of children being diagosed whilst at school and
I think your right, schools and doctors need educating.
>

Tim.

Hello,
> My son Sam, 9 years old, has just been diagnoised with Irlens. I
> like many of he post I've read, knew something was wrong but
couldn't
> put my finger on it. He was called lazy by many teachers and has
been
> called an average student, that I need to accept the fact. This
year
> he has a wonderful teacher who actually took time to notice that he
> couldn't read his book flat, it had to be at an angle. When I
> questioned him he said it always had a glare.
> We took him to have his vision checked, to have the Doctor to
tell me
> that he lied several times during the exam. She tested him again
> about a month later with the same answers, she explained there was
no
> way possible he could see the way he was saying. She refused to
even
> consider a light sensitivity or perception problem, making he and I
> both look vey stupid.
> I came home and began to research light sensitivity and came
across
> Irlens. Everything on the site was Sam ! I began looking for a
> screener, and came across a wonderful lady who after a screening
let
> us know that he did have Irlens and that she highly reccommeded
being
> tinted for lenses. The first time I heard him read with the
overlays,
> I couldn't contain myself. I had never heard him read without
> hesistation, and with out missing word and with such pride and
> excitement ! He's used the overlay for 2 weeks now and finds them
> bundlesome and can't wait to be tinted. We're trying to get him an
> appointment with a Diagnotic to be tinted in late December. With
the
> expense we've had to do some juggling, but through many anwered
> prayers we were able to find out that our insurance will cover
some
> of the expense.
> His teach, again wonderful, has allowed him to use colored paper
and
> has allowed him to change his seat and has offered to let him wear
a
> cap in class. Irlens seem to be knew to our area and the Diagnotic
> I've been in touch with lets me know that it's not because other do
> not have it but that many are undiagnoised. I hope to become a 1
man
> crusader and inform the school system about Irlens and to maybe
have
> some educator trained in being screeners.
> I am very excited to find this support group, because I and Sam
have
> felt kinda alone. My problem is the 'old ghost' in my head,
because I
> can't see what he sees. I do find myself doubting, but when I
began
> to doubt I remember hearing him read , truly read for the first
time,
> and I know We're doing what's right.
> If any one has any advice I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks
for
> being here!
>
> Sincerly Lynn
>