Educational and Administrative Services
Visual Processing Disorder
Dr. Pamela Cooper, M.A., M.B.A., PhD.
Educational Diagnostician
A visual Processing Disorder can cause problems with the way the brain processes visual information. There are many different types of processing disorders and symptoms. Visual processing difficulties (VPDs) affect many students diagnosed with language-based learning disabilities.
Language-based learning disabilities
- Language-based learning disabilities or LBLD are
“heterogeneous” neurological differences that can affect skills such as listening, reasoning, speaking, reading, writing, and math calculations. It is also associated with movement, coordination, and direct attention. LBLD is not usually identified until the child reaches school age. Most people with this disability find it hard to communicate, to express ideas efficiently and what they say may be ambiguous and hard to understand. It is a neurological difference. It is often hereditary and is frequently associated to specific language problems.
- There are two types of learning disabilities: non-verbal, which includes disabilities from psychomotor difficulties to dyscalculia, and verbal, language based.
EIGHT TYPES OF VISUAL PROCESSING DISORDER
There are eight different types of visual processing difficulties, each with its own symptoms. An individual can have more than one type of visual processing difficulty.
- 1. VISUAL DISCRIMINATION ISSUES:
- Trouble seeing the difference between similar letters, shapes, or objects2
- 2. VISUAL FIGURE-GROUND DISCRIMINATION ISSUES:
- Struggle to distinguish a shape or letter from its background2
- 3. VISUAL SEQUENCING ISSUES:
- Find it difficult to see shapes, letters, or words in the correct order; may skip lines or read the same line over and over2
- 4. VISUAL-MOTOR PROCESSING ISSUES:
- Trouble using what they see to coordinate with the way they move; may struggle to write within lines or bump into objects while walking2
- 5. LONG- OR SHORT-TERM VISUAL MEMORY ISSUES:
- Struggle to remember shapes, symbols, or objects they’ve seen, causing issues with reading and spelling2 • 6. VISUAL-SPATIAL ISSUES:
- Trouble understanding where objects are in space; unsure how close objects are to one another2 • 7. VISUAL CLOSURE ISSUES:
- Difficulty identifying an object when only parts of it are showing2
- 8. LETTER AND SYMBOL REVERSAL ISSUES:
- Switch numbers or letters when writing, or may mistake “b” for “d” or “w” for “m”1
Visual Processing Disorders
- Visual processing disorders occur when the brain has trouble making sense of the visual input it receives. They are distinct from visual impairment in that there is no blindness or issue with the functioning of the eyes. A child may have 20/20 vision and pass a sight test with flying colors but still be unable to distinguish between two objects or make sense of the symbols on a page.
- Difficulties can manifest in several ways. no two children face the same challenges. Some children may have trouble judging distances, whereas others will struggle with the ability to assess color, size and orientation.
- Spatial processing and coordination can be problematic. A child might easily become lost and disorientated or struggle with fine and gross motor skills. Visual processing disorders can be mistaken for dyspraxia, dysgraphia, ADHD and dyslexia and exist at the same time as a specific learning difficulty which can have a negative impact on a child’s self-esteem, confidence and performance at school.
- Given much of the information students learn in a typical classroom is received through the eyes, visual disorders affect learning. Students may have trouble focusing and be easily distracted by too much input in their field of vision. Children can struggle with physical education, art, music, sports, reading and writing.
- Shapes and symbols may be confused because of their orientation. Example, a child may focus only on the individual letters that make up a word or see only the word itself and not its component parts.
- Students may have to re-read the same sentence many times or get lost on the page.
- Visual processing disorders can also affect life skills: remembering phone numbers, email addresses, or following directions. It is important to identify visual issues as early as possible and ensure a correct diagnosis is made. With the right strategies and accommodations, every child can realize his or her full potential at school.
Different kinds of Visual Difficulty
A child may present with one or more of the following:
Spatial difficulty: Difficulty processing the location of objects and symbols in relation to each other, symptoms may include directionality issues, such as reversing and confusing letters and numbers with similar shapes. This affects reading skills but can also affect performance in math.
Lowercase letters may be harder for a child who struggles with dyslexia or dysgraphia to read and write. Children may struggle to identify an object from an image and/or to distinguish between objects of a different color, size, shape and positioning are skills.
Visual agnosia
- A child who struggles with visual discrimination may also have trouble recognizing and naming objects and symbols consistently. This can be problematic in math and reading lessons.
Visual closure
- If a child is unable to see 100% of an object the brain typically fills in the missing bits using prior knowledge. However, for children with this type of visual processing difficulty, the object may remain unidentifiable and cause comprehension issues and confusion.
Visual Difficulties
- Visual motor integration
- When visual processing disorders affect motor skills it can make it hard for a child to participate in sports because hand eye coordination is often lacking.
- Whole/part issues
- Discriminating the visual details that signal whole and part relationships may be problematic. For example, fitting together a puzzle can be tricky as the child may not recognize how pieces are related to each other.
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