Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

If your child is having trouble reading, listen in as Chairman Michael Farris talks with reading specialist Dr. Karen Holinga today on Home School Heartbeat.

Mike Farris:


Because homeschooled children don't have to read a blackboard, or work in a traditional classroom setting, vision problems can go undiagnosed. Karen, what would you recommend?


Dr. Holinga:


Mike, I run a reading clinic in Columbus, Ohio, and most of the children that I work with have 20/20 vision, but 95% of them have vision problems that have been undiagnosed up until the time that I see them. And I primarily work with well-educated committed homeschooling parents. It is VERY difficult to get a good eye exam-most doctors just check for distance and healthy eyes. And you know, kids don't complain about eye problems-their eyes don't hurt, and they see the way they've always seen. Parents need to find a pediatric optometrist-not an ophthalmologist, not an MD-someone who will look at those small muscles that have to do with focusing and alignment and then see what the kids do with print. My own daughter had been to three different eye doctors-and we finally had to do some very short term vision therapy (it only lasted six to eight weeks) to get those muscles aligned properly.


Mike:


Karen, is there any information you can give parents to help them educate themselves on these learning difficulties?


Dr. Holinga:


There are some great books out there by Dr. Mel Levine that will help parents a lot. He's a pediatric neurologist who has worked with kids with learning problems for nearly 30 years and I've learned a lot from him.


Mike:


Karen, thanks so much for your work on behalf of both children and their parents. I'm Mike Farris.