Does the act of reading ever make kids nauseous?

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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amother

Violet

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:50 pm

(not the content Wink

)

Is this a real thing?

I've been trying to get DD 8yo to read more age appropriate (less picture) books. But she does specifically complain about reading making her nauseous.

Has anyone heard of this, or is it just her quirk?

amother

Bisque

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:56 pm

Does she wear glasses? If not I would get her eyes checked. There are those with reading disabilities such as dyslexia that may cause nausea especially if the words on the page seem to float. I would talk to my pediatrician as well.

imasinger

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 10:56 pm

Reading in the car has that effect. But you're not talking about that.

You might want to consider getting her eyes checked, and getting her tested. There are people whose vision is wavy when doing some things, and that might lead to nausea.

OTOH, maybe it's psychological, and she is so stressed about reading chapter books that she gets sick to her stomach.

12rivkyk34

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:03 pm

This is not a quirk. Go to a vision specialist and get her checked out. Very real possibility that the words are jumping or moving if the muscles of her eyes are not working in sync. There are several options at that point such as vision therapy, prism glasses etc to rectify this situation and real improvement can be seen. Where are you located I may be able to recommend some vision specialists as you need to see a developmental optomotrist and not just a regular eye doctor.

Happydance

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:05 pm

I have 20/20 vision but issues focusing. I definitely got headaches and nausea from reading. Especially if I had to read Hebrew, small fonts, or switch reading up close to reading far. I eventually got glasses with a small prescription that magnified the letters and took strain off my eyes.

amother

Violet

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:09 pm

Thanks for all your replies. I'll definitely get on this. I'll take names for specialists in NJ if you have.

animeme

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:15 pm

12rivkyk34 wrote:

Agreed. You can certainly start with her regular eye dr if you want; repeated straining can do this. But also ask him if he can check for possible convergence and tracking issues, and get the name of a local developmental optometrist. (I also know some, and might be able to help.) And from personal experience, a kid who sees double when they read or for whom words move will insist they do not if you ask them, because it's all they know. Only after you fix it do they say, "Yeah, that was happening before."

Second and third grade are very common times for this to show up. That's when dd had it. Vision therapy fixed it in under a year.

amother

Tan

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:24 pm

Northern NJ-

Dr. Bruce Meyer, in Oradell. Good eval, good therapists. Doesn't push prism glasses but will recommend them if he thinks they're useful. Big plus- the office works hard to get you as much insurance coverage as possible, and run all of that for you.

Dr. Leonard Press, Fairlawn. Pioneer of the field. Also good therapists, though had one big therapy room, which my kids found distracting. I didn't get much help from them on insurance, though that was awhile ago.

Central Jersey- Dr Siwoff, Denville. Big on prism glasses. The best guy to have if you know/think that's what you need.

animeme

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 11:25 pm

Also, for now, have dd sit at a table to read and put the book on a table shtender at an angle. See if that helps at all. With certain vision issues, it's a temporary fix.

vet techy

Thu, Aug 18 2016, 12:08 am

I work for an eye doctor who prescribes prisms for this reason and I have seen great results. Patients bring the rest of their families after they see it helps one child. Not to say it is for everyone but in this case I believe it would help.
Not sure where you are located but he is in Westchester NY if you are interested.

12rivkyk34

Thu, Aug 18 2016, 12:08 am

Shtender idea is great. When reading at an angle it helps take the strain off. For the back to school season, have her put her chumash on her looseleaf to minimize visual strain. Larger print with greater contrast (white background with black words and no pictures on the page) are ideal for reading.
Some other things to keep in mind before you go to the doctor; how does your daughter do in vision related activitis in general? Does she enjoy word finds or cross word puzzles? Is she good at boggle or memory games? Usually activities like pick up sticks that involve visual perception skills are difficult for individuals with muscle, convergence or binocular issues. Many people have gone to typical optometrist's and have been found to have 20/20 vision but had vision difficulties despite this due to other vision issues. Vision isn't only about acuity.
I too recommend Dr Press or Dr Siwoff. I can add to the list Dr Sara Lane in south jersey who has a long waiting list but is a pleasure to deal with and close to lakewood if that's where you're located. She has vast experience in the frum population and does individual vision therapy as well as prescribes prism glasses if she deems necessary.
Dr Jerry Wintrob in down town Brooklyn is also top of the line. He works with a large chassidish clientele and has helped adult and children who were unable to read and began only after attending his vision therapy groups. He also prescribes prism glasses which many have reported to help significantly.
Hatzlocha!

Queen6

Thu, Aug 18 2016, 12:33 am

If your child's vision is 20/20 by your regular eye doctor you should try a vision therapist. They have helped many children with keeping focus.

amother

Violet

Thu, Aug 18 2016, 11:51 pm

Thank you for the names and suggestions. We may not have a chance to go until after yontif so I'm grateful for the quick fixes for the meantime.

I never took her to a regular optometrist. She actually enjoys word finds.

I was wondering what vision therapy involves for this kind of thing. Is it a weekly commitment to taking her to some clinic? Do they ever come to the house (in NJ) I'm just trying to think of the logistics involved. What's the follow through like in the classroom?

DD is terribly self conscious and hates to stand out, so between that, glasses, and logistics, I have some concerns about how this will all play out...

mo5

Fri, Aug 19 2016, 1:18 am

Vision therapists can be weekly but they also give you exercises to do at home. Definitely take her to an optometrist for a start, but someone who can check on convergence etc.

animeme

Fri, Aug 19 2016, 8:22 am

If she has never been to an eye dr, that is your first step. And yes, you want someone who can check for tracking and convergence, but also who checks for general eye health - you may need an ophthalmologist. Find out who people use for eye doctors for their kids in your area.

And glasses don't make a kid stand out; it's nobody's business what they're for if she doesn't want to tell, other than maybe letting the teachers know. And going for weekly therapy of some sort is pretty normal too. From your side, it takes arranging, but is doable. But that's counting your chickens early, until she has a routine eye exam.

greenfire

Fri, Aug 19 2016, 2:48 pm

yes - when driving one gets car sick whilst reading

12rivkyk34

Fri, Aug 19 2016, 2:51 pm

I would narrow options and schedule a visual evaluation now as some of these doctors have long waiting lists.

sky

Fri, Aug 19 2016, 3:17 pm

My ped recommended Dr Engle at the University Children's Eye Center for eye muscle issues even though it was a drive for me. http://www.uceyecenter.com/dr-engel.html
You want to find someone who specializes. Perhaps your dr can direct you.

Most drs who specialize have long appt waits so for after yom tov definitely make an appt now, especially so you'll have something at the beginning of the year.

Regarding vision therapy - if you decide to go that route go only to someone very reputable with references of success - I went to someone based on recommendations, and while I never started therapy there I felt like he was taking major advantage of us financially because of our insurance.

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