READING AND WRITING PROBLEMS

Reading and writing, a sometimes complicated adventure! What do we need to do it smoothly?

Reading and writing are super important skills! Learning to read fluently and correctly allows us to continue learning. But have you stopped to think about everything our eyes have to do so we can read and write comfortably and effectively? It's all a team effort!

To read we need the following skills in which the eyes are involved:

• Total teamwork! Both eyes must be perfectly coordinated and aim in exactly the same place at all times.
• Synchronized focus! Both eyes must focus on the same plane so that the letters appear sharp and clear. It's as if they had an automatic "zoom" that's always on!
• Smooth and precise movements! Your eyes must move smoothly and precisely along the lines of text. Just like a high-precision scanner!
• Automatic processing! This entire process should happen without us having to think about it—automatically!—so we can focus on understanding what we're reading.

And when everything works well, reading comprehension arrives, the magical part where we make sense of those letters and words! Our eyes collect the written visual information, and our brain decodes it, creating a mental movie in our heads! Visualizing and memorizing are key skills we constantly use to connect that visual information and understand what we read! It's as if the brain were a detective deciphering a secret code!

Reading problems...

But what happens when one of these skills isn't working as well? Reading can become a real challenge! We might notice things like:

• Skipping lines or having to constantly reread them! As if our eyes don't know where to go!
• Needing to follow the text with our finger to avoid getting lost! As if our eyes needed an external guide!
• Read very slowly, as if each word were a mountain to climb!
• Poor reading comprehension! Reading words but not understanding the meaning! As if letters were a foreign language!
• Getting lost on the page! Losing the thread or not knowing where we're reading!
• Changing words for similar ones without realizing it! As if our eyes saw "cat" and read "duck"!
• Omitting syllables or even small words! As if parts of the text were disappearing!

Reading Problems...

Writing also requires incredible coordination between our eyes and hands. If this coordination isn't good, writing can be quite a challenge! We can observe:

• Poor eye-hand coordination! Difficulty getting the hand to follow what the eye sees
• Write with the lines going up or down, as if the letters were on a roller coaster!
• Misaligning vertical and horizontal number series!
• Making mistakes when copying from a book or blackboard to a notebook! As if our eyes saw one thing and our hand wrote another!
• Being very slow when copying! As if each letter were a drawing to be done with extreme care!
• Respond better orally than in writing! Words flow better when spoken than when written!
• Writing dirty, with little space between words, or crookedly! A hieroglyph that's difficult to decipher!
• Poor writing or drawing skills! Feeling clumsy with a pencil!
• Crossing out so many times while writing! Blurring everywhere!
• Poor handwriting! Hard-to-read letters!

An important note about eye coordination: strabismus!

When we have a strabismus, the eyes don't look in the same place. Imagine if one eye wants to read the word "house" while the other is looking at the word below. This can affect reading and writing. If the eyes aren't properly aligned, the brain receives two slightly different images, making it difficult to coordinate and follow lines of text smoothly and accurately. This can lead to skipping lines, having to reread, reading more slowly, and having problems with comprehension. In addition, poor eye coordination can also affect the eye-hand coordination needed to write correctly. This is why untreated strabismus can be a major factor in literacy problems!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Reading and Writing Problems

1. What visual skills are necessary to read correctly?
To read well, we need both eyes to be coordinated, to focus on the same plane, to move smoothly and precisely throughout the text, and for this entire process to be automatic.
2. How does poor eye coordination affect reading?
Poor eye coordination can cause problems such as skipping or rereading lines, following text with your finger, slow reading, and poor reading comprehension, as your eyes don't work together to follow the text smoothly.
3. Why is reading comprehension important?
Reading comprehension is essential because it allows us to make sense of what we read and use the information to continue learning.
4. What types of writing problems can be related to vision?
Problems such as poor hand-eye coordination, writing with crooked lines, misaligning numbers, copying errors, writing slowly, poor handwriting, and difficulty drawing can all be related to vision problems.
5. Can strabismus cause reading and writing problems?
Yes! Strabismus makes eye coordination difficult, which can lead to trouble following lines of text while reading and affect the eye-hand coordination needed for proper writing.
6. Why is it important to detect and address literacy problems early? Detecting and addressing these problems early is crucial to preventing learning difficulties, improving academic performance, and boosting a child's confidence.
7. What professionals can help with vision-related literacy problems?
Behavioral optometrists who specialize in developmental vision can assess visual skills related to reading and writing and suggest appropriate therapies or solutions.
8. Can vision therapy help with reading and writing problems?
Yes! Vision therapy can help improve eye coordination, focus, eye movements, and visual-motor integration—critical skills for effective reading and writing.
9. What other difficulties may be associated with reading and writing problems?
In addition to visual problems, literacy problems can be associated with difficulties in language, attention, memory, and other areas of development.
10. What can parents do if they suspect their child has vision-related literacy problems? It is essential to have the child undergo a comprehensive vision evaluation with an optometrist specializing in pediatric vision to rule out or address any vision problems that may be contributing to the literacy difficulties.