Vision & Conceptual Development Center

Neurodiversity Celebration Week: Seeing the Whole Child

At the Vision & Conceptual Development Center, Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a time to celebrate the many different ways children and adults think, learn, and experience the world. We believe neurodivergent individuals should be met with respect, compassion, and curiosity.

It is also important to recognize that some vision problems are more common in individuals with ADHD and autism. Research has shown that difficulties such as convergence insufficiency and eye tracking problems are seen more often in these populations, and strabismus, or eye misalignment, is also more common in autism. These vision problems do not cause ADHD or autism, but they can add another layer of difficulty to reading, attention, schoolwork, coordination, and visual comfort.

For many families, this can be an important missing piece. A child with ADHD or autism may already be working very hard to manage the demands of school, sensory input, and daily life. When a visual problem is also present, it can make things feel even more frustrating and exhausting.

Sometimes the signs do not immediately look like a vision problem. They may show up as:

* trouble staying focused while reading
* losing place on the page
* skipping words or lines
* avoiding near work
* headaches or eye strain
* using a finger to keep place
* trouble copying from the board
* poor visual attention to detail
* clumsiness, fatigue, or frustration with schoolwork

Because these symptoms can overlap with attention, behavior, learning, and sensory concerns, the visual piece is sometimes overlooked. A child may seem inattentive or resistant when their eyes are not working together comfortably or their visual system is making near tasks harder than they should be.

That is why, at the Vision & Conceptual Development Center, we believe in looking at the whole child. We ask whether the eyes are teaming together well, whether eye movements are accurate and efficient, and whether visual discomfort may be adding stress to everyday life.

Celebrating neurodiversity means honoring each person’s strengths and individuality while also recognizing challenges that may be getting in the way. Supporting visual function is not about changing who a child is. It is about helping them feel more comfortable, more capable, and better understood.

This Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we celebrate neurodivergent children and adults for exactly who they are. And we remain committed to caring for each person with warmth, respect, and a deeper look when needed.

✨ Another incredible VCDC success story! ✨ We are so proud to spotlight Mary’s incredible transformation.
Her story is filled with perseverance, hope, and heartfelt gratitude for the care she received at VCDC.

In Mary’s Words:
“After I experienced a stroke in 2019 my eyes didn’t coordinate, much like binoculars that don’t line up. This led to what I call “eye-aches” and sometimes migraines, if I used my eyes too much. I would get eye-aches whenever I watched a sporting event with my
grandchildren (which I love doing), watched a movie with much action, could not drive for very long. I often had to stop watching or avoid
some activities altogether for fear of a migraine developing. I am very pleased that I now have none of those complications!

I want to thank Dr. Zeller for her obvious care and concern for me and my issues during
the two and a half years I was seen by her. Secondly I want to highlight the delight and enthusiasm Dr. Efianayi created for me in during my vision therapy and progress evaluations. He was educational, always explaining what we were working on in our therapy and
why. He designed endless variety and creativity into my therapy program. I knew there would be very little repetition or boredom in our time together. His sense of humor was woven throughout our interactions, and all three
of those made the time pass so quickly. He was sensitive to my needs and concerns, always checking to see if the therapy was causing any discomfort. Dr. Efianayi is instinctively a very supportive person, and his care and concern for his patients is evident. To top it all off, he’s a very interesting person! I often had the thought that John (my husband) and I would enjoy having dinner and a discussion with him.”

If you can’t reduce screen time for yourself, at least take plenty of breaks where you actually go outside!

Definitely try to get your kids, particularly those in elementary school, off those handheld devices. Most myopia develops during elementary and middle school.

Just One Hour of Screen Time Increases Risk of Nearsightedness TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Each hour a person spends squinting into a smartphone or staring at a screen increases their risk of nearsightedness,

Help save the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction! Tax cuts for big corporations are permanent, but your local small businesses have their tax cut expire at the end of 2025. Sign the petition, and better yet also contact your Congresspersons to help make the tax cut permanent.

Stop the Small Business Tax Hike - NFIB Congress cut corporate taxes permanently but made the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction temporary.