A Mother’s Letter to the Superior Court Judges.
(The Link between Vision Disorders and Juvenile Delinquency)

Written by Cynthia Wilson, edited by Margaret K. Dore and Dana M. Pape

I am the parent of a child who had a severe vision disorder (strabismus, esotropia and intermittent suppression) we did not recognize until he had nearly completed second grade. This prevented him from participating in ball games as a child (and so isolated him from his peer group) and made reading nearly impossible for him. He was ridiculed as "stupid" in school and was very aware that his teachers also thought he was either not trying or was incapable. These circumstances created in him serious instances of "acting out." He would throw a temper tantrum! His school evaluated him and recommended we seek counseling for anger management.

I did not feel that this was his primary issue—I felt that he was extremely frustrated because school work did not come easily to him and he avoided and rebelled against situations where he felt "stupid." I finally removed him from the public school in October of his third grade year because it was clear to me that he would never learn there. He had been "categorized" with the troublemaking kids, was learning behaviors from them and had nearly lost his confidence in himself. He was exhibiting self-destructive behaviors, both verbally and physically. This coincided with approximately the time we began to see results from the vision therapy. I left school having told the staff that I realized he had only a small window of opportunity and it was better for me to home school this child than to end up in juvenile court. I believe this is where we were headed as no amount of positive input was overcoming the negative influences of having been labeled "stupid."

I am fortunate to report that I was successful. It was not at all easy and we had many days when my son confirmed for me that he would have been lost. Now that his vision is "normal" and he is back in school, the school reports that he is "gifted." He made up more than 2 years progress in reading in 5 months.

I regret that I am unable to talk to you in person, though I would be happy to release all of the tests, (visual, intellectual and academic) on my son for your perusal. I believe there is a population of kids out there who become "delinquents" because they do not fit into the "round holes" of our society.

I know that I have a "square peg" and that had I not been willing to disregard everything that was said to me by the school and to seek out the cause of his frustration, I would be before you waiting for a sentence for my son’s crimes in a few years —if I had not previously given up custody of this child. As a parent who fiercely loves this boy, this is difficult to admit. I say it only because that is the depth to which the behaviors were escalating.

Please consider the diagnosis of visual problems as a possible root of problems in the kids you see. The therapy, though expensive, has saved our family much grief and I believe saved society a large bill as well. It helped us to set free the bright child we always knew we had. Now he is gaining confidence in himself and though we still are battling the social adjustments, we have great hope that he will become someone that not only his parents appreciate, but society as well.

Cynthia A. Wilson, R.D., M.S.