Ian Jordan

all the person countersigning needs to see is your signiture - hiide the rest, but they do need to know you. any reasonable professional that you deal with should sign - some mean ones may charge!

I am probably doing something in Moray in May - not finalised yet but it will be much easier for you.

These are two, one day conferences in Feb and March that will introduce parents to the many effects of sensory processing difficulties. For more detailscontact the NAS I feel that many parents and professionals would benefit

High intensity blue light has been linked to macular changes, but it is the energy levels at the retina that are likely to be important. However, using tinted lenses does not increase the amount of blue light in the specific frequencies, it reduces it - in other words the unfiltered light is more risky. We now know of well over a hundred physiological effects of light and colour. SAD lights are MUCH higher intensity blue and even in these it is likely that the beneficial effects outrweigh the potential risks massively. But there are lots of problems associated with inappropriate lighting and visual environment - but this is a massive subject

my version that i use in assessments cost over �250 000! - so its very cheap

You described in your email two different areas, one sensory defensiveness and sensory integration problems, the other differing information processing difficulties. These are consistent with being on the spectrum, and can be addressed in numerous ways. I agree with previous posts - the first thing you need is to get educated - then decide on whether you wish to be assessed and what is the best order for your assessments. good luck

LED bulbs will soon be powerful enough to replace incandescent bulbs The problem will be which one? There is a light that I designed a few years ago in conjunction with diverse technologies which can give the best colour illumination for everyone - the Optimeyes. You can adjust the colour to match your retinal responses and the environment. It is expensive though - around �300 and can be found easily on the internet. For those that understand it covers around 75% of colour space with optimised triangulation. Saturation is independent of luminosity.

optimum lighting has to be determined for an individual. However daylight bulbs are most commonly the best - get high frquency northlite if poss - but try before you buy! Lighting is extremely complex, from the physics to physiological responses - expert knowledge may be required

energy saving light bulbs can cause all sorts of problems due to their spiked emmission curves - they are not suitable for a lot of people - but too complex to explain on thread

i didn't say they don't need inserts - but make sure that the cause is treated - not just the effect. You can treat symptoms and mask cause - so you should always try to ascertain cause - because treating effect may cause long term problems. Walking on tiptoes often indicates visio spatial awareness problems - and can be treated in seconds if it is the case - preventing gait posture and other mechanical difficulties

look at video on www.jordanseyes.com - click on aspergers tab - its near the end of the clip so be patient The cause of gait problems is often vestibular (resulting in head tilt) rather than in the legs - and although you can address by shoe inserts getiing the vestibular right will often sort out the cause. Get this checked before foot inserts. If it is the cause then shoe inserts will long term, cause more problems and the orthotist will not check this. Also get visio spatial awareness checked and sensory integration if possible as these also may be relevant

there is little or no training for virtually all professionals in sensory processing problems. There is a course for OTs but this does not address the visual aspects to any great extent - and as vision is usually the reference sense it has to be addressed! The medical and optical professions are generally very poor in this area - but there are one or two knowledgable people - thank goodness. but don't expect your doctor or optician to have much idea, its not in their training If it is of any help the NAS is running a day course in Feb / March - London and Glasgow - i'm one of the speakers - the others are i believe extremely good, so providing you can sit through me, it'll be informative for those that have not seen a demonstration of sensory processing modification, you will be shocked there are other courses in feb in lincolnshire - 1 day / 2 day (or combined - 3 day) on visual processing problems and their effects in special needs - it will really help if teachers / parents of those on the spectrum came on these - they are very intensive but understandable - and will change lives. the one day course is best for parents. tel 01526 378754 for details

If you haven't checked his sensory processing it is essential that you do so now. The symptoms you are describing sound as though the school environment may be detrimental to his coping - and if so you need professional advice. If he is having sensory problems it could be cruel to force him to endure the physical insult. Obviously there could be other reasons, but just to accept the schools ideas could be a mistake.

Best explanation I can give - its the difference between seeing a picture - when distance is perceived through tricks - not binocular fusion. real fusion uses clues too, but mapping of information is three dimensional in neurological systems ie time as well as space

With glasses you have difficulty in stopping your visual system from fusing the images Without glasses you don't fuse the images and there is a breakdown in stereo vision of a complex type. It will probably be difficult for those with normal fusion to understand your post - it is extremely dificult to defuse images without some significant stress on the visual system. If people can see the depth easily - then their visual system needs attention! The effect of visual fusion problems of this type really has an effect on lives - from visio spatial awareness, body coordination and sensory difficulties. This type of problem is unlikely to be found in a eye test. PS we have had fun defusing the image and have all got headaches!

He needs to have his visual processing assessed as a matter of urgency

What is dyslexia? Does anybody have a definition - yes - there are over 200! This causes massive problems. The usual assessment by a psychologist or teacher is by measuring the difference between expected performance and actual performance but unfortunately this often is an inadequate / inappropriate measurement as many other factors that influence results are not taken into account. Teachers in general have little or no training in recognition of different types of dyslexia, and options as to treatment or intervention strategies. Phonics is useful for some, but for all? Teachers often have to deal with a disgraceful level of training, and I am surprised that as a profession they have allowed this scandal to continue. Those in charge of the teaching profession should be ashamed - politicians, unions, associations. Teachers are expected to deal with all types of special needs, without training! perhaps we all should be embarrassed

impossible to say what is causing this without seeing him - but probably a tearing reflex stimulated inappropriately

This can be a sign of lack of knowledge of where he is in space Visual, vestibular and proprioceptive issues may be apparent - and tip toeing can often stopped immediately if addressed

Development coordination disorders are often a manifeststation of sensory processing dificulties and can be treated, depending on cause. It is NOT something you have to live with. We presented a paper on this last year at the OT national conference, and how visual intervention is essential. Other interventions are also possible, but you will be very lucky to get any help through the state (of any type!). It is so sad that we do not address these problems in anything like an acceptable manner.

One of the problems with dyslexia is that there is no definition that is universally accepted. This is at least in part due to that there are so many different presentations. It cannot be one condition but yet its is often assumed that one method of addresing it eg synthetic phonics is the answer. This is stupid and shows ignorance. To address dyslexia (and dyspraxia and even ASD) the cause of the problems experienced must be taken into account. Therefore the idea that one technique is uniquely successful is wrong. Sensory integration and stability at a neurolgical level has to understood as causative in dyslexia. When it comes to sensory integration it is becoming apparent that vision is the reference sense ie that all other senses refer to vision as the base. This may be different in some individuals or those who are blind - but in most cases it is critical that vision is addressed first. But all senses integrate, and visual instability is not only cause of problems, but also an effect of other sensory dysfunctions. Therefore an integrated approach is essential - using vision as the reference. Therefore all current educational systems will have some good effects - but will inevitably fail to address dyslexia adequately - and at a very high cost, time effort and money are wasted! To leave dyslexia in the hands of schools is appalling, because they can't treat the condition. It is extremely complex - and hard to understand but dyslexia is a symptom - not a condition, but perhaps a series of manifestations that are caused by differing abnormalities in sensory processing. Remedial teaching is however essential when the sensory systems have been stabilised. The best way I can describe educational interventions at present are - Current methods are like teaching a child with a broken leg to hop rather than fixing the leg and teaching the child to walk.

planning and execution of movement hence dyspraxia - where coordination goes wrong. Think of a sequential map of action potential in the brain in which each action is planned in time and space. Feedback lops come back from visual, balance, proprioception (body position), touch etc. An OT would usually be involved but many other profesions can also play a part (physio, chiropractor, doctor, optician, psychologist, speech and language therapist, audiologist etc) It is complex but can be treated in many ways, from dietary to stimulus modification to exercises. Sad that it is usually ignored even when profound It can be considred a sensory integration prolem It manifests itself in ASD in many ways, sensory defensiveness, poor coordination, gait and postural problems, pain threshold and many more. Some of the tests I did on you (mumble) were directly praxis related, and visual intervention is usually crucial in praxis difficulties. But for those reading - you will not get the relevant tests in a standard eye test. hope this helps

Dyslexia is a much misused term. The school will usually consider it a language problem but it is the cause of it that which you must address first. [/size]Dyslexia is usually a symptom rather than a discreet condition The order to assess is 1 allergies / intolerances / biochemistry 2 Visual perception 3 Auditory perception 4 memory - particularly working memory 5 praxis 6 EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS It is a waste of time and effort to get educational assessments until the body is working well - and you will not be pleased to know that there will almost always be resistance from the LEA / school unless the condition is extreme. Private assesments may be necessary - but don't go down ediucational route until after physical

Your eyes change power at night in the dark. The optical professions have known about it for 50 years but when we offered an eye test for this we sold not a single instrument! It was not expensive and I, as an optician, was disgusted. We use it - the changes in prescription are often massive - so the specs you get for daytime are often poor at night. If you don't need specs during the day you may need for nightime driving. So if you want it assessed and sorted - you have no alternative to come to us in Scotland. And you should sort it out - 01292 284555 Google "myopic shift" or "night myopia"

facial recognition problems can be treated - please do it ASAP! There is plenty on this site about prosopagnosia - and how it can be treated IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOUR CHILD - please treat as very urgent!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE now know what children see and it can be very unpleasant - treatment is simple