[R]ecent research found children diagnosed with ADHD were three times more likely to have convergence insufficiency than children in the rest of the population.
Gainesville, Va. (PRWEB) June 29, 2012
Before accepting a child’s diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), have their vision tested by a developmental optometrist. According to Dr. Tod Davis, a developmental optometrist and vision therapy expert, your child’s behavioral problem may in fact be vision-related.
“Most parents don’t realize that there’s so much more to healthy vision than being able to see 20/20,” he said. “Poor visual skills can lead to a host of other problems, including short attention span and difficulty with reading or doing homework.” As stated in the College of Optometrist recent press release on June 4, 2012 many children are labeled with ADHD, when in fact it is convergence insufficiency.
One example of a vision disorder which can cause ADHD-like symptoms is convergence insufficiency. A child with this disorder has difficulties aligning and focusing their eyes properly when reading or doing close work.
Experts estimate that 1 in every 20 children have this eye coordination problem. However, one research study, performed in 2000 by San Diego researchers, found that, “children with ADHD had three times the incidence of convergence insufficiency than what was expected in children walking in off the street,” according to Dr. David B. Granet of the Shiley Eye Center.
“This correlation can mean co-incidence of the two disorders,” notes Dr. Davis. “However, it can also mean that there are some misdiagnoses of ADHD, when the true culprit is convergence insufficiency. In either case, it is important to treat the vision problem. In the first, the ADHD may become less severe when the child can see correctly. In the latter, by treating convergence insufficiency, we treat the whole problem and the child is able function without relying on prescription medications.”
ADHD is one of the most common childhood behavioral disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5.4 million children between the ages of 5-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD since 2007.
Dr. Davis’ young patients receive individualized, supervised treatment programs designed to enhance the brain’s ability to control eye alignment, eye tracking and eye teaming, eye focusing abilities, eye movements and visual processing.
“If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, speak with a developmental optometrist or vision therapy expert,” Dr. Davis suggests. “They will be able to conduct a thorough eye screening in order to determine whether the problem is vision-related. If it is, they will be able to help correct the real problem, enabling the child to have more self-confidence and improved focus, even without their medicine. In some cases, the medicine even becomes unnecessary.”
About Dr. Tod Davis
Dr. Tod Davis Developmental Optometry and Vision Therapy Services offices are located in Gainesville, Fredericksburg and Winchester, Va. Dr. Davis is a developmental optometrist with over 30 years of experience treating people of all ages for a spectrum of different vision disorders, including convergence insufficiency, strabismus, amblyopia and vision-related reading difficulties. Visit DavisVisionTherapy.com for more information, patient forms and contact information.
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