DS2 says he can see red and blue squiggles

[KOKOagainandagain]

But then he said sometimes they are in the shape of a camera and that he pretends to take a picture

Does this ring any bells with anyone?

Any situations when he does? Synaesthesia?

Or maybe it's a migraine aura. They tend to be very squiggly.

ASD, sensory issues and eyes are a funny thing.

Previously ds described having 'flash backs' like 'white flashes' everything turning white and not being able to see anything but white for a few seconds.

He has photophobia, sensitivity to bright lights. He also cannot see certain colours on certain coloured backgrounds.

He doesn't see colours in terms of colour, but shades.

Then small print jumps about and goes fuzzy.

Any particular time when he sees squiggles or are they there all the time?

He was talking to me in the kitchen after school and said he thought he needed to get his eyes tested.

There is stuff going on at school that the head has not shared. A new person has suddenly appeared in class. She spoke to all the DC individually to see how they are getting on. DS2 said he told her that he needed help and couldn't do the work. He said 'she was actually surprised at that because she didn't think any DC in the class had any problems' . I've emailed the head to find out who she is. DS2 told me the other day he had SALT, the mysterious 'Sharon', the TA and the CT with him at the same time. I thought it may be related or be something that someone said to him.

He's never mentioned it before. It doesn't precede a headache or nausea or any sign of being unwell.

Really I suppose our dc's are over sensitive (sensory) to most things and this must include the eyes, much like smells, touch etc.

Has your ds had any visual processing assessments?

If you are worried you can always ask GP for referral to eye specialist.

The GP rolled her eyes when I mentioned CPOC. He has a tendency to express emotion as his heart not working, or stomach ache or his legs not working in the absence of any physical issue.

I don't know if I should be concerned or not

I also despair at the 'mysterious Mrs X' who apparently has assessed ds and apparently he sees on Mondays and they practise catching a ball according to ds. Obviously an OT, who I have not seen or heard from.

Ds has no difficult catching a ball, however he does have serious issues with not being able to eat in school, scratching his skin, not being able to read etc and her time could be much better spent.

Could he just suddenly be aware of the phenomenon where you see colours after look at a light/outside, then close your eyes?

For DD3 it's quite natural to be aware of this sort of thing. She says 'if I close my eyes, I see sparkly colours...'

DD1 discovers things that should be quite natural in a sort of epiphany moment. She'll suddenly say 'Mum, Mum! Looook!' and she wiggles her tongue. Then she says 'I can move my tongue!!!' Or 'MUM!!' Look! and she moves her head from side to side.

She just doesn't consciously realise that she can do something.

Ds got a dx of eye disorder at 5 years old, which affects his tracking and should have affected him, but it didn't, until now, 4 years later and I have asked for a referral back to eye specialist.

I hate to say these words, but maybe see how it goes?! If it is a common complaint, that occurs frequently or interferes with his vision or ability to do things, then ask for a referral.

Actually DS1 does gross motor exercises with the OT that he does not need and it is linked to provision for anxiety as he is able to communicate better and more fluently when engaged in physical activity. When sat still he tends toward silence.

I have no idea if there is a method to her madness, as I haven't seen or heard from her. I am fully expecting, like SALT input, she will see him for 6 weeks, set inappropriate targets for things that ds has no difficult with, then say her input isn't needed! I will take the wait and see approach myself!

Lougle - that was my initial thought because he said 'there's one there and there's one there' whilst 'looking' at the pale kitchen cabinets.

I guess I am aware that I had no idea that DS1 had difficulties before he went to CPOC (and also that the years of exercises are part of the reason that I didn't fight to get his SpLD, ASD and other needs met).

DS2 already has a working ASD diagnosis and I've got so much other stuff going on atm that I am wondering whether it would be worth the effort

If he tends to see it when he's contrasting from one type of surface/lighting to another, then I'd say it sounds like typical eye reaction. Just now, I'm looking at the computer screen. If I look away (happily I have a white door to my left) and blink, I get a blue/red image of the computer screen in my eyes.

What about the camera thing? I am a little concerned that profs may think that he is hallucinating!

I think it's more of an indication of what he is actually doing in his head in class when he is in a world of his own. He is not making cloud shapes but using visual perception to construct meaningful pictures iykwim.

At least he does not need mind-altering drugs to become fascinated by the mundane and everyday

Thank you for experimenting on yourself Lougle

Claw I think you may be right I need to wait and see.

I wouldn't worry toooo much about 'the shape of a camera' in the sense that I can clearly see the 'shape' of a computer screen when I close my eyes, etc.

Does he mean the external shape of a camera, or 'like the shape of a camera when you look through the eye-piece'? Because to be fair, that shape is pretty square.

The shape of a camera, maybe just some good imagination for his own amusement, ds is like this and has had imaginary friends.

He means the shape of a camera icon on an iPod! He presses the imaginary icon to take a picture.

I don't think he has ever encountered a real camera with a viewfinder