Visual Processing Disorders: By Age Group

Early Childhood

Common difficulties:

• Misunderstanding or confusing written symbols (example: +, x, /, &)
• Easily distracted, especially by competing visual information
• Writing within margins or on lines or aligning numbers in math problems.
• Judging distances (example: bumping into things, placing objects too close to an edge)
• Fluidity of movement (example: getting out of the way of a moving ball, knocking things over)
• Differentiating colors or similarly shaped letters and numbers (example: b, d; p, q; 6,9; 2,5).

Accommodation and modification strategies:

• Use books, worksheets and other materials with enlarged print.
• Read written directions aloud. Varying teaching methods (written and spoken words; images and sounds) can help promote understanding.
• Be aware of the weakness but don't overemphasize it. While helping a child work on the weakness is important; it is just as important to build other skills and function in any setting.
• Break assignments and chores into clear, concise steps. Often multiple steps can be difficult to visualize and complete.
• Give examples and point out the important details of visual information (the part of a picture that contains information for a particular question).
• Provide information about a task before starting to focus attention on the activity.

School-Age Children

Common difficulties:

• Organizing and solving math problems
• Finding and retaining important information in reading assignments or tests
• Writing coherent, well-organized essays
• Copying from board or books
• Sewing or other types of fine motor activities
• Writing neatly and quickly
• Reading with speed and precision.

Accommodation and modification strategies:

• Allow student to write answers on the same sheet of paper as the questions or offer opportunities for student to explain answers orally.
• Provide paper for writing and math work that has darker or raised lines to make the boundaries more distinct.
• Organize assignments to be completed in smaller steps instead of one large finished product.
• Use a ruler as a reading guide (to keep focus on one line at a time) and a highlighter (to immediately emphasize important information).
• Provide a tape recorder to supplement note-taking.
• Have a proofreading buddy for notes and essays.

Teenagers and Adults

Common difficulties:

• Accurately identifying information from pictures, charts, graphs, maps, etc.
• Organizing information from different sources into one cohesive document
• Finding specific information on a printed page (example: getting a number out of the phone book)
• Remembering directions to a location

Accommodation and modification strategies:

• Color code important information.
• Have a proof-reading buddy for all written materials.
• Use a tape recorder when getting important information.
• Before writing letters or essays, create an outline to simplify and organize ideas.

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