ADD or is it?
Recent research at the clinic has focused on the possibility that some children that appear to be suffering from attention deficit may in fact have a retained primitive visual reflex.
We all have to continually monitor what is happening in our immediate surroundings just in case there is something creeping up on us. However, at a certain point in our neural development we have to suppress the urge to look at anything that moves within our peripheral visual fields so that we can focus on our chosen subject unless of course it is a real danger to us.
Now imagine what would happen if you place a child in a busy environment such as a classroom if they cannot suppress the built-in reflex to look at each and every movement taking place around them. Might they be thought to be suffering from ADD? Interestingly, the centre that ultimately monitors both visual fields – right & left – is on the right side of the brain where in fact most learning and behavioral issues originate from.
I have noticed that my ADHD child is deeply affected by the television and computer screens. Could that be related to this primitieve visual reflex?
Thanks
Carrie
Hello Carrie-Ann,
No, too much TV and computer games tends to affect a part of the brain called the anterior cingulate. It stimulates an area of this region where OCD traits can originate and that is why it can be so hard to get kids off their games.
Thank you for your comment.
new? I don’t think so! Peter Blythe has been doing this since the 1970s!
Please let me have more information and references so that we are sure we are talking about the same thing?
Kind Regards,
Robin Pauc
My son has had tics since age 5 (motor), inattention / dreaminess,/ distractibility (but not hyper!), poor reading skills, and mild dyslexia. He also doesn’t seem to focus with his eyes properly, and one eye seems to take fractionally longer to move into place. He writes with his book at an extreme angle and keeps his head on the table. All this yet each time we take him for an eye test we are told there is no problem. Could this be linked to what you are talking about? And is there anything you can do to help with the reading?
It may well be that your son does have convergence insufficiency (the inability to bring the eyes in towards the nose accurately). It is usually the left eye that is slower to start the movement. Unfortunately, very few children are tested for CI as part of the standard eye test. The tics, inattention and dreaminess would suggest that an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate is under functioning. Fortunately, convergence insufficiency can be diagnosed in minutes and treated in weeks and problems arising from the anterior cingulate tend to respond very positively to the Tinsley House treatment regime.