Back to School Tips for Parents
By Cynthia Fellerman, SAS, MS, COMS
Starting a new school year is often exciting and scary for anyone. But, if your child has a visual impairment, the anxiety level may be higher. There are things you can do to get everyone started on the right foot -- from the very beginning. Good communication can go a long way to making your child's school experience -- and yours -- as stress-free as possible.
- Talk with your child's teacher ahead of time. And if age appropriate, bring your child along. It's important to explain your child's specific visual problems including what he or she can and cannot see. Give examples and be as specific as possible to prevent misunderstandings.
- Advise the teacher about any lighting issues and feel free to make recommendations. Should your child be near or away from the windows? If your child has a problem with glare, seating away from natural or overhead light may be best. Also, your child may function best with an adjustable arm lamp that can direct light to the task at hand.
- Discuss seating. A child with a field loss will do better when sitting on the side of the room consistent with the side of the field loss; right side for right field loss and left side, for left field loss. This enables the child to direct the good visual field towards the classroom. Also, tell the teacher how close to the blackboard your child should be seated.
- Inform your child's teacher about adaptations that help whether it be tactile markings, bold tip pens, color coding of materials or any other adjustments that are helpful for your child.
- Arrange for regular meetings to review how things are going and to ensure that problems are solved promptly. You are all in this together.
Cynthia Fellerman, SAS, MS, COMS was the Principal of the Child Development Center at Lighthouse International.