Can you see that: A Closer Look at Vision Processing (part 2)

Vision has a very complex sensory job to do. It helps our brain to remember, identify, and judge where our physical body is within our surroundings. If our visual processing is flawed or taken away entirely life will become challenging very quickly.

If you missed the first half, I recommend you read part one and then come back. Because Vision Processing Disorder (VPD) is an involved topic I broke it down into two parts and today am finishing the review of the remaining four issues:

What are visual processing issues?

  • Long or Short-Term Visual Memory Issues: Children with either long-term or short-term memory issues can struggle to remember what they’ve seen. Reading and spelling will be challenging as well as using keyboards, calculators or even recalling what they have read.

What would you say is the one word that would cause you nightmares? Mine is, SPELLING! Why? Because studying spelling words each week is a living nightmare. The one thing that has helped most is a free app called “Spelling Bee.” He is far from perfect, but 8/20 is an incredible achievement! Also, one of the games he plays on the app has sliding letters across the screen from the left and right. After working with this app for a little over a year, my Ninja can successfully track and pick out the letters he needs to spell a word. HUGE deal!

  • Visual-Spatial Issues: Children with visual-spatial difficulty will struggle with judging where objects are in space, i.e., how far things are from them or each other, and where characters or objects are located in a descriptive narrative. Some children may also find telling time or reading maps difficult.

After our full evaluation came back, it was SHOCKING to see in black and white my child described as “floating in space.” Visual-Spatial Processing is a huge roadblock for our Ninja. It was also relieving to finally understand why he had to touch everything around him all the time, or why when we would be out for a walk, he would stop in the middle of the road and not at the corner as instructed.

Honest moment here: I truly thought he was just a boundary-pushing punk. Yes. I called my child a punk because that’s the best way I can describe his behavior before I understood. Obstinant and defiant. It turns out that he couldn’t judge where he was in his space. I felt about 1″ tall for a month, but now I have perspective, understanding, and knowledge, which has empowered me to advocate for my “seeking” child!

  • Visual Closure Issues: is when a child is unable to identify an object that is missing part or parts of it. i.e., a bike without wheels, or a drawing with missing details such as a bird without its beak.

When given an evaluation for Occupational Therapy (OT) my Ninja was asked to complete the look of a shape. He sat very studiously (well for him that is) which means he was bouncing here there and everywhere while attempting to complete the other side of a triangle with a square in its center. It was a mess. I am happy to report with a lot of hard work on his part and a fantastic occupational therapist that he can now complete the other half. Not neatly, but with better accuracy than on his first trial.

  • Letter and Symbol Reversal Issues: Children that switch and substitute letters or numbers when writing is age-appropriate until age 7. If they continue to struggle with correct letter formation, it will begin to affect reading, writing and math skills.

Children with VPD may not know that they see the world around them differently. In fact, many VPD issues get misdiagnosed as Dyslexia and ADHD. Because a child will exhibits classic ADHD or Dyslexia symptoms such as the struggle to maintain attention, reading, tracking and sustained focus.

To avoid being misdiagnosed, I would encourage you to research and understand VPD. I would also urge you to find a Developmental Othomologist to evaluate your child. (Check out to find one in your area) Be sure to express any concerns you have when making an appointment.

Should your child have Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) it may present some challenges during your exam. However, with time, a patient and kind Othomolgist, they will be able to obtain the visual information they will need to make a proper diagnosis.

Never forget to advocate for your child’s healthcare needs. I took our Ninja to a well respected and noted Othomolgist in his community. After our first follow-up appointment to discuss results from testing (that he did not even perform), I didn’t agree with his assessment and course of suggested treatment. So, I took my Ninja to get a second opinion. I’m very thankful I listened to that “mom voice”! I found another well-respected Othomolgist, waited on her new patient list for a month, and had an entirely different experience. She was hands-on and worked with us at each appointment. We were able to put in place a treatment that has helped my Ninja.

Don’t be afraid of that shine plaquet on their walls. Speak up (respectfully), and ask questions. Doctors are human too and capable of error. Being a voice for your child never wrong!

photo credit: Dmitry Ratushny

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