Hi, everybody! Thanks so much for your answers to my last question. I have a new one. We took my son (5 years old, has a high-functioning form of autism) to a developmental optometrist today. He has difficulty seeing out of one eye. After talking things over with the dr., he suggested waiting to get glasses until my son's behavior is more compliant and predictable (how in the world do we do that???--another question for another time). From my understanding, he would have prescribed glasses for a typically developing child with this vision issue. He will fill the glasses prescription if we really want to. My question is this: how common is it for kids with autism NOT to get glasses when other kids would? His advice sounds a little strange to us, but he has a lot of experience. Plus, we are kind of new to the "my child is different" thing, and didn't expect his autism to cause problems at a vision test, too.
Hi S.,
I strongly recommend Dr. Charles Schidlofsky. He is in Plano, at Parker and the Tollway. He has worked with many of my clients (I am a speech-language pathologist) on the autism spectrum -- and everybody has raved about him. He has also worked wonders with some typically developing children in my neighborhood. He does a lot of work with specialty glasses, and I have seen such amazing results in my own clients.
S.
My son is also high functioning autistic. He has had glasses since he was 3. He leaves them on when they make him see better. When they get dirty he is very quick to yank them off. So, as long as I clean them frequently, he is great with wearing them. It has been 7 years and we have not had him break a pair...yet.
It has been my experience from what I have seen from kids in my son's class if they need glasses they have them.
Some of them have the band things that go on the back of their heads to hold them in place while others don't.
It sounds to me like the doctor isn't real sure if your son needs glasses or not? Waiting for him to become more compliant and predictable? I've been in the throws of Autism for almost 3 years and I'm still waiting for that day.
