Neil's dyslexic symptoms are gone
Neil is a seven and a half year old lovable boy and twin. Since starting school he has struggled with reading and writing, falling behind not only his twin brother but his peers also. Despite repeated concerns raised with the school only to be told ‘it’s his age , he will grow out of it’ and ‘he’s a boy, boys develop slower than girls’ I knew something wasn’t quite right. Opening the reading books or comparing writing with his twin brother only reinforced the differences between them. Failure to meet the Year 2 School Attainment Test (SATs) national target resulted in Neil being independently assessed by a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENco) and an independent Dyslexia screen which showed ‘High probability’ of dyslexia. I had almost resigned myself to the fact that Neil was Dyslexic as he showed the common traits of: lack of concentration; muddling letters such as ‘p’ and ‘q’ and ‘b’ and ‘d’; missing words out of a sentence; skipping lines in text; and a general apathy towards learning.
It was by chance that I was recommended Buchanan Optometrists for a Dry-Eye condition (which I would like to add they sorted and changed my blurry world into a clear one stopping my headaches and ability to read clearly) and whilst in the waiting room I read a leaflet all about colour overlays and thought ‘that’s my Neil’. The test was worth every penny and Neil was made to feel relaxed and cared for. I must admit I cried due to the relief a reason for him falling behind at school could easily be helped and also from guilt at having never heard of this before and not asking the right questions regarding words moving on the page and others.
Within 24 hours the teacher had made the whiteboard blue (Neil’s colour) and he could see what was on the board (not just a jumble of patterns). The colour overlay make an instant difference in Neil’s reading and I invested in coloured blank and lined paper for his writing and worksheets. Two months on, all Neil’s dyslexic symptoms are gone, he has reached the national reading target; in fact, Neil is overall a different child, more confident now he can participate in learning and is like a sponge soaking it all up. We have invested in the glasses with colour tinting in order to make Neil’s world a better place and help him with television, the computer and the world in general clearer.
It is the best investment we ever made and I now have an amazing child made even more amazing and much happier. Buchannan Optometrists are experienced at testing and helping children like Neil and they have been more than great through supporting both Neil and I through this difficult time. - Caroline Russell, Neil's mum
