Does anyone remember what Alli's writing and spelling looked like one year ago? Below is a reminder...and just for scale, each letter below is about 1.5 inches high...(above, the spaces are about 1/4 of an inch!!)
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Last Thursday, Alli had her 6 month post- Vision Therapy check up with Dr. Griffith. It has been just about ONE YEAR since we found out that Alli wasn't reading because she could not use her eyes correctly. It has also been about 6 months since she FINISHED her vision therapy. This appointment was to recheck a lot of the skills that were fixed by doing vision therapy and to make sure the skills are STICKING!! This is a list of what was evaluated at this appointment:
- Alli's ability to focus and change focus
- Alli's ability to use her eyes together
- Alli's ability to track correctly and the accuracy of her eye movements
- Plus, Dr. Griffith wanted to do another evaluation using the Dyslexia screening that she used last March and then again in August.
This is a summary of what was found - Six months since FINISHING vision therapy....
Alli has maintained her focusing abilities since she was last checked in August AND her focusing has even improved since that appointment in August.
Alli is still able to use her eyes together accurately and fluidly.
The eye movements test (Developmental Eye Movements) is the only test where she has not improved to the point of being in the "above average" range. There are two parts to this test - One part is the speech output and the other is the visual speed. Alli tested in the 48th percentile for a 9 year old (she was in 24th percentile at her first evaluation in March of last year). I am happy with this improvement. Considering where she was a year ago....this is amazing. Dr. Griffith broke this test down for me in this way:
There are two skills being checked with this test. One is speech output and the other is visual-perceptual speed. Alli's speech output is still in the 1st percentile, while her visual perceptual speed is in the 83rd percentile. The speech output is what is holding her back in this test. I am not sure how this can be improved, but I will be researching it.....
And MOST exciting, once again....Alli is still NOT dyslexic....
Dr. Griffith administered the Dyslexia Screening again - the same one she gave Alli in March and August....here is the breakdown from each separate occasion:
In March 2013 (End of 1st grade) -
- Alli's reading level was so low, she could not even be given a level. Her reading level was below PRE-SCHOOL.
- Could not go beyond the pre-school reading list.
- She only knew the words GO and WAS on sight.
- Only knew 40% of the pre-school words when she was given extra time.
- Could spell 30% of the pre-school words phonetically.
- Labeled as having all 3 forms of dyslexia.
In August 2013 (We had done no school work so this was with JUST our vision therapy work) -
- Kindergarten reading level
- Could identify 76% of the words up THROUGH the 3rd grade list
- Could spell correctly 60% of the words through 3rd grade
- No markers for dyslexia
In February 2014 (This year we have been working through 1st grade material) -
- First Grade reading level, YAY!!!!!! She is finally at grade level!!!
- Was able to read many words on the 3rd grade reading list and a few words on the 4th grade reading list, WOW!!!
- 80% of the words at her reading level were spelled correctly.
- 70% of the words through 4th grade spelled phonetically correct.
- Now, instead of any DYSLEXIA, she is ranked at ABOVE NORMAL for her reading level.
Alli is working incredibly hard to catch up to where she needs to be. At this point, she is about one year behind (She SHOULD be about mid-second grade - but I don't live in a world of SHOULDS.....) so I am taking it slow to catch her up. Frustration does not help ANYONE, right??
Her reading is still slow and she doesn't jump up and down when I tell her it is time for her to read to me, but she is willing and able to read to me on a daily basis and that is all that matters.
When I think back to what we were going through a year ago, I am amazed at how far Alli has come. Considering she has been able to see correctly for only about 8 months of her life, she is doing AMAZING!!!
I think we will be working on her reading, spelling and math through our February break, Spring break and probably through summer so that she can catch up to where she needs to be. The benefits of homeschooling....we can work at a pace where she feels SUCCESSFUL and not FRUSTRATED!!!
So grateful for where this road has taken my little girl and hopeful that others will find their own paths to vision therapy and benefit as Alli has.