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Visual and auditory processing disorders can affect a person’s ability to process information properly. Symptoms vary, and it’s best to see a licensed physician for diagnosis. Adjustments in school or work should be made accordingly, and working with a specialist is recommended.
People are bombarded with information on a daily basis in a variety of different ways. Information comes to us visually through written words, images and other media, and also through auditory means such as the spoken word. Sometimes the body is unable to process one or more of these types of information properly. This may be due to a visual processing disorder, an auditory processing disorder, or both.
There are several types of visual processing disorders and they are most commonly recognized in childhood. That’s because so much information given in schools is delivered visually, including notes written on a chalkboard, test papers, and textbooks. Symptoms of this disorder vary depending on the specific type of disorder a person has, and in children, it can manifest as bad or destructive behavior. The only way to be sure that a person has some form of visual processing disorder is to visit a licensed physician.
One type of visual processing disorder is the inability to recognize familiar objects. A person may see or recognize only a part of an object or not recognize it at all. For children, this can mean not being able to remember a number learned one day and shown to them the next.
Visual spatial processing disorder occurs when a person is unable to distinguish the space between two or more objects or their relationship to one another. A person with this type of disorder may have difficulty distinguishing between the letters “p” and “q,” for example, because they both occupy the same space, but are reversed. They may also have difficulty distinguishing if all or part of an object or word is missing. A handle may be missing from a door, but a person with this disorder may not notice it and keep trying to open the door as if she had a handle.
Visual motor processing disorder, which can be accompanied by any of the other varieties, is a person’s inability to orient themselves in space around objects and orient them accordingly. Such a person may be labeled “clumsy” or “clumsy” because she has bumped into or dropped objects she did not recognize existed. This can affect all areas of a person’s life and is one of the biggest safety risks for people with visual processing disorders. A person with a visual motor processing disorder might, for example, place their hand on the hot burner of a stovetop when they instead thought they were resting their hand on a countertop.
When working with children who have a visual processing disorder, a number of steps can be taken in the classroom to address this learning disability. Large books and media used to block out unnecessary visual information can be used. Embossed line paper can help them write. Removing unnecessary information from worksheets and handouts, as well as changing an instructor’s teaching style to be more hearing-based, also helps a child with this disorder succeed.
If a visual processing disorder is suspected, it is best to see a doctor or licensed physician, who can then refer the person to a specialist for testing. This condition is considered a learning disability, as well as a sensory disability, and adjustments in school or work should be made accordingly. Working with a specialist is usually the recommended course of action.
