Is Your Child Misreading or Losing Their Place? It Could Be Visual Processing

If your child frequently misreads words, skips lines, or loses their place while reading, it might not just be a matter of focus or attention. These challenges can often be linked to Visual Processing Disorders; a group of conditions that affect how the brain interprets and makes sense of visual information. While your child’s eyesight may be perfectly healthy, their brain may struggle to process what they see, leading to difficulties in reading, writing, and overall learning.

What Are Visual Processing Disorders?

Visual Processing Disorders occur when there’s a disconnect between the eyes and the brain. Even though the eyes may capture images clearly, the brain may have trouble interpreting, organizing, or remembering them. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

• Losing place while reading or skipping lines

• Reversing letters or words

• Difficulty recognizing familiar words

• Struggling with reading comprehension

• Confusing similar-looking letters (such as “b” and “d”)

• Poor spelling and writing skills

These issues are not related to intelligence. They are processing challenges that can make academic tasks unnecessarily difficult.

Types of Visual Processing Skills Affected

Visual processing is made up of several distinct skills, including:

• Visual discrimination - noticing differences and similarities between shapes, letters, or objects

• Visual memory - recalling visual information for spelling, reading, and following instructions

• Visual sequencing - understanding the correct order of letters, words, or numbers

• Visual tracking - smoothly moving the eyes from one point to another, crucial for reading

• Visual-spatial relations - understanding where objects are in space, important for handwriting and math

A deficit in any of these areas can lead to frustration, low academic confidence, and avoidance of reading-related activities.

How Visual Processing Therapy Can Help

At Advanced Vision Therapy Center, we offer Visual Processing Therapy, a personalized treatment plan designed to strengthen the way your child’s brain processes and understands visual information.

Our therapy program begins with a comprehensive assessment to pinpoint specific areas of difficulty. Using targeted, evidence-based activities, we help children develop and improve:

• Eye movement control and visual tracking

• Letter and word recognition skills

• Memory for visual patterns and sequences

• Coordination between visual and motor skills

Each therapy plan is customized to address your child’s unique needs, with regular progress evaluations to ensure results. Many children who undergo therapy not only improve their reading and academic performance but also gain confidence in their learning abilities.

Schedule a Comprehensive Visual Processing Evaluation Today

If your child is bright but struggles with reading accuracy, frequently loses their place, or seems to tire quickly when reading, a Visual Processing Disorder may be the root cause. The good news is that with the right therapy, these skills can be strengthened, allowing your child to read more fluently, learn more effectively, and enjoy school again.

Don’t let visual processing challenges hold your child back. Contact Advanced Vision Therapy Center to schedule an assessment and learn how our personalized therapy programs can help your child reach their full potential. Visit our office in Boise, Idaho, or call (208) 377-1310 to book an appointment today.