Medical News: Groups Assail Vision Therapy as Remedy for Learning Disabilities - in Pediatrics, General Pediatrics from MedPage Today

Link to the original article: Medical News: Groups Assail Vision Therapy as Remedy for Learning Disabilities - in Pediatrics, General Pediatrics from MedPage Today

I don't like to cross post, and Google hates it when I do, but this is an excellent article on "vision therapy," a form of therapy that many of my clients come to me and ask about. Here's what the medical professionals have to say:

"Behavioral vision therapy, eye exercises, and colored lenses have no role in treatment of dyslexia and other learning disabilities, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The academy came down hard on these "scientifically unsupported" alternative treatments in a joint statement with the American Academy of Ophthalmology and other vision organizations. Because learning disabilities are difficult to treat and have long-term consequences for education and socioeconomic achievement, unproven therapies have become highly visible, Sheryl Handler, MD, of the AAO, and colleagues wrote in the August issue of Pediatrics. "Ineffective, controversial methods of treatment such as vision therapy may give parents and teachers a false sense of security that a child's learning difficulties are being addressed, may waste family and/or school resources, and may delay proper instruction or remediation," they cautioned.

I'm not too sure there really is much more to say than that. Read the article, watch the video. The world is full of people telling parents of children with autism, Aspergers, ADHD and related learning disabilities they should spend thousands of dollars on medical treatment that fixes their child. Often, rather than research, we see many many parent testimonials. I've heard them from parents in my office. Vision therapy CURED my child. While that was going on there was a change in classroom teacher, a new support teacher tried a new methods, the child matured and a medication was tried. But the providers of these services stressed how without them nothing would have changed. Do not rely on testimonials. Talk to your doctor. Make science based choices.

This web page/blog is NOT meant as medical advice. NEVER get your medical advice from a blog, or from the internet. If you find something, press print. Take it to your medical doctor and ask what he or she thinks. Go to someone who has the training and experience to help you make good medical and educational choices.

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My web page lists a number of resources you can make use of yourself in dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger's, as well as many other learning disabilities. Please visit it at www.socialcognitivetherapy.com, or one of my other sites at: Psychology Today, AAMFT, PSYRIS or my professional site or www.adhdhelp.ca.

Autism assessment and treatment services are offered for individuals, couples, families, children, adolescents and adults in the Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster and Maple Ridge areas of the lower mainland. This includes neuro-developmental assessments, psycho-education assessments, autism assessments as well as behavioural and cognitive behaviour therapy. I also provide diagnostic assessments for autism and Asperger's Disorder in my Burnaby office.

Dr. Jim Roche
Registered Psychologist, British Columbia 01610
778.998-7975
www.relatedminds.com