J.R.
My daughter has SSD (scotopic sensitivity disorder). This is NOT a visual problem and has nothing to do with her sight. Basically, it is a processing problem in the brain.
I used to spend HOURS with her every night working the reading assignments in elementary school. I kept telling them that I believe there was a problem, but I could not put my finger on it. She did not flip words, letters or numbers, so I did not suspect dyslexia. There were times a one page reading passage took us four hours to complete. She was always on honor roll and passed all the TAAS tests with flying colors, but it was because I had prepared her well in advance on what to do and how to read the test. I begged and begged to have her tested. I signed so many requests, but because she did not show "academic need", in other words she was not failing, they wouldn't do anything.
When she got to 6th grade, I cried to her reading teacher because there was no excitement in her reading. She struggled to read and therefore it began to show. She liked to read, but it was too demanding for her. FINALLY, one of the teachers at the school was trained to identify the SSD. I couldn't wait the time it would take to complete the paperwork, do the testing, etc. I found a place and took her on my own. The website of the clinic we go to is: ttp://www.zuccone-irlen.com/about.html
My daughter described the problem she was experiencing as the white part of the page would bubble up like marshmallows and swallow the words. She could see the first letter and she would just say what ever word she thought it may be starting with that letter, cause she could not see the rest of the letters.
Megan has been a patient of Dr. Zuccone's for 7 years now. She said it was a world of difference when she got her Irlen lenses. You don't have to buy the lenses, they do have overlays. But I have to be honest, as a teacher-I know the teachers can't ALWAYS make sure the overlay is being used. I bought the lenses to teach my daughter to be accountable for herself. This was something she had to live with and it would now be her responsiility to use the lenses, not someone else's to give them to her.
We go back every year to have her lenses checked for scratches, changes in colors, etc. I am not going to kid you-it is EXPENSIVE! The test (approx $350, the lenses (approx $500, the follow up visits(without changes- approx $150). But I wouldn't trade it for the world. She was finally successful on her own and that was worth it all.
Good luck, whatever you decide. Should you need further info or have any questions, please let me know.
P.S. My daughter never received special ed or 504 services. Again...no "academic need" and I wanted her to learn to take care of herself.