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Primary education

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Original poster

headaches from white board

33 replies

Clawdeen · 10/09/2015 13:56

Not sure if this is the right place to post or if I should post in health but here goes.

My DD has been complaining of 'board ache' as she describes it for over 18 months. I've taken her for 6 monthly eye tests which haven't flagged up any problems. Her teacher has tried moving her about on the carpet but this hasn't had much effect. She only seems to complain about it in relation to school and the white board.

Having just started back at school, it's got worse again. In fact she says it is the worse it's ever been. In addition to the head aches, her eyes are hurting too. It's making her very tired. Her teacher says they have a new, very large white board. We've been back to the opticians again, but still told she has 20/20 vision.

Last night she told me that she is getting some sort of double vision when looking at the white board- the line she is reading is sometimes repeated below. She says it is worse if the text is close together. She sometimes also gets this when reading a book. I have noticed she's skipping words though that could be because she reads fast. Her reading level is above expected for age and she is achieving well at school.

I don't know what to do. I've been googling this morning and found mention of behavioural optometrists- does anyone have any experience?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 10/09/2015 14:02

She needs to see an orthoptist by the sound of it. I have an unstable squint (ie, I can converge my eyes, but its hard to do so in certain situations and gives me headaches), and without my glasses would have the same problems. Your GP can refer you.

Original poster
Clawdeen · 10/09/2015 14:54

Thanks ever so much. That's very helpful. Despite wearing glasses myself, I hadn't heard of orthoptists. The optician didn't mention anything- just kept telling us to come back if still a problem- which we have been for 18 months!
do you know if an optician can refer? we have another appointment this weekend, but will make GP appointment any how

OP posts:
orangepudding · 10/09/2015 14:57

You could ask the teacher is they could change the background colour of the white board to cream as its easier on the eye.

CMOTDibbler · 10/09/2015 15:11

Some opticians aren't very good with binocular disorders, especially the ones which aren't so obvious. I've had people who were brilliant, and some useless in my long bad eyes career!

If you look at this video, you can see how an unstable squint looks. I know the little girl in this vid, and you really couldn't see her squint unless she was really tired, but it caused her problems at school.

I don't think an optician can refer, though maybe in different areas.

MarySmilingAndHerBrassieres · 10/09/2015 15:18

Could she possibly be dyslexic? Dyslexia makes words swim about on the page/board and trying to focus on moving words can cause pretty bad headaches.

MarySmilingAndHerBrassieres · 10/09/2015 15:19

You can also be dyslexic and have a great reading age, though this is rarer.

Littlefish · 10/09/2015 20:29

Good idea about changing the background colour of each page on the whiteboard to see if it makes a difference.

Original poster
Clawdeen · 10/09/2015 22:39

Thanks for all the replies.

I went to speak to DDs teacher after school. I saw the white board and the teacher uses a yellow/cream background as part of her dyslexia training. It doesn't seem especially bright so I don't think glare as such is the problem.

I quizzed DD a bit more after school. The double vision comes and goes and sometimes parts of the board appear normal and other parts are in double vision. She says sometimes some words appear reversed. Sometimes a section of text can seem blurry - she said the top of the board was ok this afternoon but the bottom was blurry and the text was much lighter/greyer than the top. She hasn't experienced words moving about.

Dyslexia hadn't crossed my mind as she took to reading easily- I hadn't realised it was possible in a good reader.

That squint video is interesting, I will try it with DD tomorrow. She had a problem when tiny with one eye turning in very slightly but it seemed to rectify itself. I'm wondering if this could be causing the problem.

Really appreciate all the input. Have been feeling like a crap mum as she has been suffering for a while and I was a bit dismissive of her complaining last year as the eye tests were all fine. You've all given me food for thought and questions to put to the optician this weekend

OP posts:
Maladicta · 10/09/2015 22:43

Look into 'visual stress'. It might be a possibility

Mrsjayy · 10/09/2015 22:47

Look into visual stress dd has it as part of her dyspraxia the whiteboard was a huge problem for her i was back and forward to optitions for years with it a newly qualified optition in boots mentioned it and referred us.optomotrist gaveus overlays but that is no good for the white board obviously there is tinted glasses nhs do provide them i went private though dd got her glasses last year HTH

Mrsjayy · 10/09/2015 22:54

Oh xpost about visual street

Mrsjayy · 10/09/2015 22:54

Stress*

Mrsjayy · 10/09/2015 22:57

Btw I wasnt meaning your dd is Dyspraxic just it can come as part of visual stress is a stand alone condition too

Original poster
Clawdeen · 10/09/2015 23:03

I think that's a really good point about visual stress- I came across it when googling frantically this morning and it does seem to fit the bill. The websites I found suggested I needed to find a specific behavioural optometrist ( most of which seemed to be private and £££). But that sounds like your regular optometrist/optician sorted it for you ( though paying privately for coloured lenses)?

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 10/09/2015 23:09

She was on a waiting list for the nhs hospital only 1 in scotland who do them apparently months waiting and she had exams woman who did it was an optition who had specialised and set up her own bussines i was £180ish for appointment and lenses you can buy any cheap glasses frames for the lenses see if you can get an NHS referral first to an optomotrist

Mrsjayy · 10/09/2015 23:11

A university eye hospital did it as well

Castrovalva · 10/09/2015 23:15

have pm'd you

Original poster
Clawdeen · 13/09/2015 07:36

Thanks for all your input, I went armed with the info to the optician's yesterday.

Unfortunately I don't feel very confident with the outcome.

DD had the dilating drops and a briefer version of the eye test she had last week ( which found no problems with sight). The optician says she has a mild astigmatism and needs glasses. I was surprised that this was not picked up last week.

I asked about unstable squints and visual stress and at this point she asked DD to leave the room and shut the door on her. DD is only little and very anxious so I was worrying anyway at this point. She told me there was no sign of a squint. I asked about visual stress and if she knew if anywhere locally that could test for that. She then told me that the double vision/ reversal of words etc that DD is suffering is likely a psychological problem and I should speak to school. She then said ( and I apologise for offending anyone; I was offended) that she doesn't look like someone with reading difficulties (???Hmm) and that she might be making it up just to get glasses or as an excuse to get out of work at school. WTF!

I wanted to walk out but DD is so sensitive, I stayed and we chose some glasses which should be ready this week. I asked how often she needs to wear them and was told 'whenever she wants', which did nothing to restore my confidence! I guess I'll wait and see if things improve with the glasses and then look for a second opinion.

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 13/09/2015 08:04

Oh for gods sake she doesnt look like someone with reading difficulties what a twat they are . You need to speak to the school again does the school have a SEN teacher ask to speak to them if no sucess go to the gp ask for a referral to the eyeclinic, poor you and Dd

Original poster
Clawdeen · 13/09/2015 08:06

Thank you MrsJay. I was so worried about posting that phrase because it's so awful and I didn't want to upset anyone else.

No idea about what the school resources are but will go in and ask

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 13/09/2015 08:19

This is the bother I had for years with Dd in and out of optitions back forward to school it was so frustrating if I wish i had taken her to the Gp, anyway speak to school see what they say ask for whiteboard stuff to be printed off for her. You must have felt horrible at that optitions

Original poster
Clawdeen · 13/09/2015 09:17

I felt awful and didn't sleep well last night ( not helped by my guilt that I should have pushed for something to be done ages ago). I hadn't thought about getting print outs from the white board- good idea thanks

OP posts:
MrsLeighHalfpenny · 13/09/2015 09:19

Could you try a different optician maybe? Your one sounds crsp.

Original poster
Clawdeen · 13/09/2015 09:49

Definitely! Though I'd switched to this one after a really disastrous experience with my glasses at another optician. Think we'll have to look further afield!

OP posts:
orangepudding · 13/09/2015 09:52

Have a look here for a behavioural optometrist babo.co.uk/find-a-behavioural-optometrist/
I took my son to one, but he wasn't able to give the feedback needed and was too fidgety. I will maybe try again when he is about 8/9.