![]() The school auditory screening confirms whether a child is able to detect the presence of pure tones of sound, which is called peripheral hearing. Auditory Processing DisorderĬhildren with auditory processing disorder will pass a standard hearing test easily, and parents are left to categorize their problems as “behavioral.” Hearing is more complicated than what can be detected by a simple hearing test administered by your child’s school. Optometrist's who have gotten a Fellowship with the College of Vision Development (FCOVD) are specialized in these disorders and their appropriate treatments. Granet’s research found that children diagnosed with ADHD were three times more likely to have Convergence Insufficiency than children in the rest of the population (Granet 2005). Granet, a pediatric ophthalmologist and director of the Ratner Children’s Eye Center of the University of California in San Diego. The connection between eye-teaming problems and attention-deficit disorder has been documented by Dr. The reduced attention span is what causes a misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD so often. Because the child must expend considerable effort to compensate for their Convergence Insufficiency, they will experience a shortened visual attention span, exhibit avoidance behaviors, or pay less attention to visual processing (Margolis 2009). The inability of the two eyes to turn toward each other, or converge, causes reduced near point (close-up) visual attention. Convergence Insufficiency results when the eyes do not turn inward enough to focus on close images. The inward focusing ability of the eyes is called convergence. In order for the eyes to work in tandem, they must be able to turn inward to focus on close images as during coloring, reading printed text, using computer screens, playing handheld video games, or writing. One eye-teaming disorder called Convergence Insufficiency is frequently misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD. ![]() These children will be highly distractible with short attention spans, as their attention is diverted to their surroundings instead of on a book or other target. Often, children with eye movement, focusing, and eye-teaming dysfunctions are unfairly accused of “not paying attention” or “being lazy learners.” (Cortese 2012).Ĭhildren with vision impairments often demonstrate the same symptoms as children with ADHD as evidenced by recent studies (DeCarlo, Bowman, Monroe, Kline, McGwin, Owsley 2014, Granet 2005). In the case of children with ADHD, studies have shown that their brains may be less active than typical children reflecting under-arousal. In other words, the child’s nervous system is missing some vital sensory information that results in an over-aroused brain craving sensations. Whereas the symptoms of these two disorders are very similar, the brain features associated with the disorders are significantly different.Ī sensory craving child’s symptoms reflect an under-registering vestibular and proprioceptive system with an overall high arousal level in the brain. ![]() Research shows that these children may benefit from any combination of special diet intervention, supplementation with high EFA/DHA fish oil, less screen time, more aerobic exercise, occupational therapy, and at last resort medications. Miller’s research suggests that 40% of children with SPD also have ADHD. ![]() Miller’s research has indicated that ADHD and SPD can either co-exist or occur independently in children (Miller 2014). Three types of disorders are frequently misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD: sensory processing disorder, visual disorders, and auditory processing disorder.īelow is specific information related to these disorders.Ĭhildren with sensory processing disorder (especially sensory cravers, a sub-type of sensory modulation disorder) are often misdiagnosed with ADHD due to their constant hyperactivity, difficulty sustaining attention, and impulsive behavior.ĭr. ADHD or Something Else? ADHD or Something Else?Įach year, thousands of children are unnecessarily medicated for ADHD, as symptoms are commonly confused with other disorders. ![]()
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