CHILD

I can provide a written report for your child’s school which will enable the school to better meet his/her needs.

The report will cover the following areas

Reading age which assesses whether the child is reading at a level with his current age.

Short term auditory memory using the (TAPS) digit span test.

This is related to the efficiency of attention and working memory.

Visual functioning, such as convergence, accommodation and smooth pursuit. These are all essential for the mechanical aspects of reading. Any deficits in the eyes will lead to slower reading, the inability to remember what is read and fatigue.

Auditory Processing. When there is a problem in auditory processing - and this is different from hearing problems- the child perceives the information he/she receives in a distorted way; the comprehension of the message is only possible at the cost of great effort, which leads to errors, fatigue, irritability and often withdrawal. For these children attention span is short and memorisation will be poor.

Neuro-development tests

Balance

Problems with balance generally indicate neuro –developmental difficulties and reading problems. Balance is particularly related to the vestibular system. Vestibular input is crucial for reading. It is documented, that astronauts put it in gravity free zone, reverse numbers and letters and produce mirror writing.

Retained Reflexes. Problems in this area may lead to, depending on the severity, poor gross muscle and fine muscle co-ordination, poor ocular motor functioning, as well as sensory perception, cognition and ultimately neuro-developmental delay. There can be an effect on balance and gravitational security and this can in turn lead to poor reading skills and concentration and attention problems.

For example the STNR reflex completes a sequence of eye training. Vision for near distance and training the readjustment of binocular vision occurs during crawling. This movement also helps to cross the midline (essential for the ability to read) as the focus is on one hand to the other. It is helps to coordinate the vestibular, proprioception, and visual systems

Problems with The TLNR reflex might cause a child to have visual perceptual problems and spatial difficulties. Balance, posture and coordination can be a problem, with weak muscle tone and poor sports skill’s and car sickness is common. Children often have difficulty with time, and poor sequencing and organisational abilities. They also dislike sports, PE and running. Depth perception may be impaired and there may be difficulties in adjusting the eyes from far to near distances. Problems with this reflex will disrupt abilities which require spatial perception and may also cause difficulty in locating sound.

Problems with The ATNR reflex can cause hand-eye co-ordination -difficulties such as ability to control the arm and hand when writing as well as an inability to cross the vertical midline. For example, a right-handed child may find it difficult to write on the left side of the page. There can also be discrepancy between oral and written performance. In addition there can be poor development ofl eye movements such as visual tracking (necessary for reading and writing), problems with bilateral integration (differentiated and integrated use of the two sides of the body) and continued cross laterality or ambiguity of laterality above eight years of age.