Way to go Daddy!

Here is an article published yesterday in our local paper the Sun Gazatte about Marcus and his patients.

Vision problem cleared, child ready for school
POSTED: August 3, 2010
Email: "Vision problem cleared, child ready for school"
MUNCY - Tura Snook got headaches at school. She held her books unusually close to her face. Schoolwork was a chore.
Fortunately, her local optometrist identified the problem: the text was doubling, breaking into two. Then, she completed vision therapy.
When Tura saw the family optometrist, Dr. Thomas Gmitter at Price Optical in Williamsport, Snook's mother recalls the doctor telling her that she had "good eyesight but poor vision." Although Snook had 20-20 eyesight and did not need glasses, Gmitter uncovered a vision problem that caused her headaches when reading. He then recommended an evaluation with Dr. Marcus Myers at the Vision and Learning Center.
Skipping words, reversing letters
When reading, Snook would skip words and reverse certain letters. She occasionally would misalign columns of numbers in math. She hunched over her books, getting unusually close, and used her finger to avoid losing place in text. She got tired with reading.
And then there were the headaches.
"She is a very bright child who seems to listen and learn quickly," said her mother, Jennifer Loner of Williamsport.
Her mother worried, however, that the problems would hinder school performance and even affect her daughter's self-esteem.
"I don't get headaches now," Snook said.
"Tura no longer complains of headaches from reading. Her handwriting has improved tremendously. She can read the clock and math has become easier. All of the other things - I was not aware that they were being affected by her vision, but I have definitely noticed improvement," her mother said.
Snook, 7, will enter second grade at Stevens Elementary School in the fall. She is the daughter of Loner and Jeremy Snook of Williamsport.
Like many people, they had limited knowledge of learning-related vision problems like the disorder affecting their daughter.
Some children will be categorized as having a reading problem, but for many, the underlying problem will be a visual restriction, not a learning disorder.
Processing data
"Eighty percent of classwork requires that students gather and process information visually," according to Myers, an optometrist with residency certification in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation.
He recently returned to the region after treating patients with learning-related vision problems in Manhattan. The Vision and Learning Center opened in January.
"A common sign is that it takes hours to do 20 minutes of homework," Myers said. "This child often cannot recall what they just read, and they skip or re-read lines."
The text may seem to move or float on the page. Children rarely report this as a vision problem, however, because a child has no way to compare his vision to someone else's.
Other common signs include headaches in the afternoon, child rubs their eyes frequently, falls asleep when reading, overlooks small words or reverses letters or words or avoids reading altogether.
Symptoms overlap
"There is a significant overlap in symptoms between ADHD and convergence insufficiency. Learning-related vision problems complicate, or mimic, attention problems," Myers said.
Snook's specific vision problem is called convergence insufficiency, a problem where the eyes have trouble working together at close range. This condition is among the most common vision problems that affect reading and learning, Myers said.
"This eye muscle coordination problem, which affects approximately 5 percent of the school-age population, is a leading cause of headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, double vision and loss of place in text."
In a remedial reading class, the rate of untreated learning-related vision problems can be much higher.
Frustrations
"This type of vision problem is too frequently overlooked, and children and parents become frustrated with schoolwork as a result," Myers said.
Near the conclusion of Snook's therapy, her mother reported fewer problems with homework, improved self-confidence, less loss of place while reading, smoother oral reading, improved reading comprehension, relief of headaches and fatigue, improvement in balance and sports, and greater enjoyment of school.
"I could see the chalkboard better at school," Snook said. "It helped me see better. I think it would help people a lot."
For more information about the Vision and Learning Center, call 546-4885.


Vision workshops offered for parents, caregivers
MUNCY - Dr. Marcus Myers at the Vision and Learning Center here is offering free workshops for parents and professionals who suspect their child may have a learning-related vision problem. Upcoming workshops are planned for:
7:15 p.m. today at the Vision and Learning Center
7 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Muncy Public Library
To register, call Karen at the Vision and Learning Center at 546-4885.

This past week we went on a little mini vacation. We stated at a little bed and breakfast called Old Fogie Farm.

At 8 am the children were responsible for the chores of the farm. This included feeding the pig ...

and milking the goat to feed the kittens

They feed the fish

They also had chickens, cows, and a horse that had to be feed

They played in the little outdoor playhouse

Mommy cooked on a really old gas stove the fresh eggs that Brie and Sophie picked a few minutes before

After chores were done we on Wednesday we went on the Strasburg railroad for a 45 minute ride through the countryside in an open air train

On thursday we visited Amish country and took a ride through the streets in an Amish buggy.

The girls had a great time.

20 months

Can you believe she is almost 2!

Sophie has so much personality. She lets you know when she is not happy

She loves animals and playing in the dirt

and is finally starting to talk more

Blueberries

Yesterday, after a nice thunderstorm we went out to a local farm to pick some blueberries. The weather was great, it had cooled down about 10 degrees and it was a little overcast. Brie had a wonderful time filling her bucket with the ripe blueberries.

Sophie picked a few that actually made it into the basket. She ate quite a few that were not quite ripe yet and may have had a few stems still attached.

Busy in pictures

As I said in the last post we have been busy.

At the river . . .

Playing in the yard . . .

and at the playground . . .

riding ponies . . .

watching the circus . . .

and eating popcorn while watching . . .

playing some more at a different playground . . .

Wearing tutus on the 4th of July . . .

We have been busy

The past few weeks have been busy. We have gone on bike rides, played in the creek and the river, and played in the pool. The kids have been having a great time. Bed times have been sporadic and naps missed, but we are enjoying our summer. This past weekend we went to a picnic at the creek and played outside till almost 10 o'clock. The kids caught their first fireflies and we enjoyed smores down by the creek. The trim in our bedroom is now newly painted and we have new blinds and curtains. Overall this summer has been very busy. Soon we will be going on vacation to a farm for a few days and possibly the beach. When things slow down I will upload some pictures so you can see for yourself all the fun we have been having.

Exhausted

Today we went to the bike path for a short ride. We decided we would ride for a while and then stop for lunch. Then Marcus though we should go just a few miles further to get some ice cream. A few miles turned into 30. That's 15 miles one way and then 15 back. When we stopped for ice cream we were already exhausted and it was getting hot, but we had a long way back. Sophie took 2 naps on the trip. Along the way we did make some stops to throw rocks in the creek and admire the wildlife. We saw a deer, salamander, crawfish, tadpoles, and a rattle snake. I was unimpressed with the snake and was glad that we were almost back at the car when we saw it.