Coloured lenses / dyslexia / specialist schools programme

[Mumble]

There's a programme on tonight 9:00pm on BBC3 - Kara Tointon: Don't Call Me Stupid - that some of you may find interesting for a variety of reasons. I don't know this person, apparently she's a celebrity and was/is in Eastenders??

 

Anyway the programme is about her being dyslexic and the effects of this, but also (according to the TV guide) sees her looking into the issues/uses of tinted lenses (which many with ASD find helpful) and specialist schools.

 

Looks like it could be interesting.

[Bluesbreaker]

Yeah talking of tinted things, even though i have misplaced them, i used a couple of pieces of yellow acetate paper which did make it a lot easier for me to focus when reading words etc. it is quite a useful trick, but also quite interesting to understand how our minds work better with colour added in.

[RainbowsButterflies]

I couldn't believe the difference that coloured sheets made! I'm trying to get DSA funding for coloured lenses but my GP is being funny about listing my medical conditions

[trekster]

Is there anyone else you could try Rainbowsbutterfiles? for example a former tutor, your mentor or someone who helps you in class?

Maybe even the welfare or disability officer at University?

[RainbowsButterflies]

Uni are fab, the GP I saw last week was rubbish. I could have another rant but I won't hog the topic. I need to write to my proper GP and ask her for a letter, but I'm only just back on my feet after tonsillitis.

[trekster]

Thanks for letting us know, ive found colorimeter lenses to be helpful in the past.

My last test showed i had recovered from the effects of irlen syndrome.

[Mumble]

Thanks for letting us know, ive found colorimeter lenses to be helpful in the past.

My last test showed i had recovered from the effects of irlen syndrome.

Interesting - what do you think helped your recovery?

 

I used to have blue lenses which made a lot of difference and helped, but there were also major issues with them, and particularly because of some reactions I had, I stopped using them. Recently I've been given a computer programme which effectively puts an overlay over the screen and the effect has been amazing - much less eye-strain and tiredness, I can read things on the screen better and since I've had it, my tutor hasn't had to correct certain mistakes I was always making in my writing and so can focus on the content. As such, I've asked about whether it might be worth going back to trying lenses again, so although it's not for dyslexia, I'll still be interested to see what this programme tonight says.

[RainbowsButterflies]

Recently I've been given a computer programme which effectively puts an overlay over the screen and the effect has been amazing

 

Ooh - that sounds fab - what is it? I've found that changing word documents to white writing on navy blue background helps a lot.

[Mumble]

Ooh - that sounds fab - what is it? I've found that changing word documents to white writing on navy blue background helps a lot.

The whole programme is called Claro or ClaroRead and it has various components to help, such as reading out your work in a normal voice. The coloured bit is called Claroview and I love it! I got this with my DSA on my DSA laptop; I think you are at uni (I'm getting confused, so sorry if that's not the case, lots of new members recently) so might be worth you asking your disability adviser.

 

I thought the programme was fantastic. Not much about coloured lenses, but I learnt a lot I didn't know about dyslexia. I'm a little worried, now, I'd only understood it in terms of reading difficulties, but everything they were saying about the wider profile left me thinking, erm, yep, that's me...

[Tes]

Jumping in quickly here, Saturday and got the usual shopping, washing, tidying up etc to do ... such fun!

 

I watched the end of this programme and saw Kara receiving her lenses and could have wept at her joy of being able to read a book. Can't imagine not being able to read a book ... awful.

 

I have only seen a couple of children wear coloured lenses in my ten years of teaching! Not sure why so few. Apart from that, I have used coloured acetates in class with children who are experiencing words 'moving' on the page with very good results. Another wee trick is to photocopy any worksheets etc on to coloured paper. Not an expert but I believe it's about dampening down the glare of the white background which can make the words appear to 'move'.

 

I also use coloured chalk on the board, rather than white, mainly to help any children with dyspraxia issues follow the work more easily, but I'm aware it has other benefits e.g. identifying sentences within a paragraph for those who are struggling with punctuation. I find that anything I bring into class that is aimed at one child generally benefits more than one in a variety of unforseen ways. Can only be good.

 

Enjoy your Saturday!

 

Tes

[Sally44]

I'm sat here typing wearing my tinted lenses!! The same colour as on the programme!

I don't have dyslexia, but I have other sensory issues, including an auditory processing disorder. My glasses help me to read without effort instead of having to fight against the glare and blur of the words. But I find it okay to read no problem.

 

My son is diagnosed with dyslexia (his glasses are blue tinted) and my sister has dyscalculia.

 

I found the programme very interesting because there are a number of different features that cause different types of dyslexia. My son has visual perceptual difficulties, auditory processing disorder, problems sequencing letters (and also language and movement), poor auditory memory and auditory memory retrieval and visual dysgraphia. He also has no concept of time, planning and struggles to organise himself or things.

 

It was informative to see the ways in which children can be taught to read and organise themselves. Unfortunately that is the experience of the few, and is certainly nothing like what we are experiencing. There are funding issues to all these approaches, schools, therapies etc. Most kids do not get anything.

 

I was interested in the multi sensory learning. My son also had that itemised in his Statement. But he never received anything like what was shown in the programme.

 

And as was said, there is a way that works for each child. You just need to find it.

Edited November 13, 2010 by Sally44

[Lynden]

I find the coloured overlays fantastic. L went for assessments on his hearing/sight at one point and because the therapies we were considering weren't specific to autism, my Mum was assessed also. She had a had a brain haemorrhage 14 years ago (age 46) and was hospitalised for 6 months, and although she's mostly recovered she was left disabled by it and does have damage to her brain. She used to teach so she found it frustrating that she sometimes struggled to read after the haemorrhage. She had an assessment at one point and the difference when she used different coloured overlays was amazing. She went from slow broken reading to being able to read fluently again. Amazing really.

 

Lynne

[jfjyhtftr1]

Could I ask whether anyone else with coloured lenses has had difficulty choosing the right colour, or with them making the world too dark?

 

I was diagnosed with Irlen earlier this year, but my first pair of glasses have had to go back because the colour I ended up with was actually making aspects of my symptoms worse. I think the new colour will be better, but I'm really worried that they will be too dark. I'm making do with a pair of sunglasses for 5 weeks (the day I tried without was hell) but they are tiring me and sometimes affecting my visibility by making everything too dark. I'm quite worried about this, because I know my new filters are darker than the old ones, and also because the assessor said they might cause problembs with eye contact (possibly the worst thing she could have said to someone selfconcious).

 

Sorry, but I'd really like to hear how others have got on; and thanks for pointing out the piece of software, I'll try to perswade the university to get it for me.

[Mumble]

Could I ask whether anyone else with coloured lenses has had difficulty choosing the right colour, or with them making the world too dark?

The first pair of glasses I had, which is the colour I really need, were very dark blue. The problem was that in dull light or the dark, things actually became dangerous - not long after getting them, I was nearly run down one night crossing the road, by a red car - my blue lenses completely filtered it out, and as it was coming up a dark, unlit street, I simply didn't see it.

 

thanks for pointing out the piece of software, I'll try to perswade the university to get it for me.

It's been fantastic for me, the only problem is that I think I may be becoming over-reliant on it, as I'm struggling more with reading paper texts in their usual black on white - I had to read something out at work at the weekend that was black on white and laminated, plus in a room with florescent lights - well, that wasn't fun.

 

I was diagnosed with Irlen earlier this year

Can I ask how you were assessed and who funded it. I want to be assessed but I can't afford it myself and there is no money left in my DSA as my mentoring is so expensive (but worth it).

 

the assessor said they might cause problems with eye contact (possibly the worst thing she could have said to someone selfconcious).

Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!! :wallbash: :shame: What is the problem with these people? I had exactly the same comment (although more direct - you will not wear them because...) from a disability specialist in my uni. The people who should know better. I've learnt a lot about myself in the last year and would now feel a lot more confident in putting these people in their place, but we really shouldn't have to be put in this position - would the same people ever dream of telling a deaf person not to wear their hearing aid or someone to get out of their wheelchair as these aids may make others uncomfortable - I think not.

[RainbowsButterflies]

Can I ask how you were assessed and who funded it. I want to be assessed but I can't afford it myself and there is no money left in my DSA as my mentoring is so expensive (but worth it).

I had a screening done by the SpLD team at uni who have given me coloured acetates and a contact for an optician who does the colorimeter screening. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks, but I think it will be around £250 for the assessment and the glasses (I have a prescription so it will be higher than if you dont need prescription glasses). I'm hoping that I can get DSA funding on the grounds of my migraines as I doubt I will get an ASD diagnosis before my course is finished.

[Mookamoo]

My Wife was diagnosed with Irlen. 2 children in our family - one with a diagnosis of AS and one without were also diagnosed.

 

We did it through our 'normal' optician, (http://www.patrickandmenzies.co.uk/visualstress/index.html) not an Irlen centre so it was cheaper, plus they gave us some money off the frames. The main cost seems to be that they have to send the lenses off to be tinted.

 

Another problem is that they mentioned you could need a new set of lenses whenever your hormones take a change, such as puberty, illness, menopause etc.

 

It has made a big difference - my wife can now read without getting over tired and one of the kids now now sit through a whole TV programme without having to bounce around.

[Sally44]

The first pair of glasses I had, which is the colour I really need, were very dark blue. The problem was that in dull light or the dark, things actually became dangerous - not long after getting them, I was nearly run down one night crossing the road, by a red car - my blue lenses completely filtered it out, and as it was coming up a dark, unlit street, I simply didn't see it.

 

 

It's been fantastic for me, the only problem is that I think I may be becoming over-reliant on it, as I'm struggling more with reading paper texts in their usual black on white - I had to read something out at work at the weekend that was black on white and laminated, plus in a room with florescent lights - well, that wasn't fun.

 

 

Can I ask how you were assessed and who funded it. I want to be assessed but I can't afford it myself and there is no money left in my DSA as my mentoring is so expensive (but worth it).

 

 

Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!! :wallbash: :shame: What is the problem with these people? I had exactly the same comment (although more direct - you will not wear them because...) from a disability specialist in my uni. The people who should know better. I've learnt a lot about myself in the last year and would now feel a lot more confident in putting these people in their place, but we really shouldn't have to be put in this position - would the same people ever dream of telling a deaf person not to wear their hearing aid or someone to get out of their wheelchair as these aids may make others uncomfortable - I think not.

 

 

The school EP has gone one step further and has stated in her report that in her opinion "these glasses cause xxxx to have problems with social interaction because they screen out his eyes and make him look different" - can't believe she's said that!

[coolblue]

A bit OT, but I recall complaining about ds being in the swimming pool too long during a school swimming lesson (it was a double-length lesson that parents hadn't been told about) because of his problems with thermo-regulation, and being told that if he came out of the water before the end of the lesson, the other children would notice he was 'different'. As if they hadn't noticed his inability to make himself understood, his complete inability to remember where he was going, his running round in circles pounding his fists together etc etc.

 

cb

[jfjyhtftr1]

Can I ask how you were assessed and who funded it. I want to be assessed but I can't afford it myself and there is no money left in my DSA as my mentoring is so expensive (but worth it).

 

I was screened by the access unit at the university, then sent to an Irlen specialist to have my glasses fitted. I think the funding came from my DSA, although it's a bit complicated as this is paid by the Arts and Humanities research council.

Edited November 17, 2010 by jfjyhtftr1