Visual Perception and Reading Dysfunction

Abstract

Eighty-seven children in school grades one through six with severe language arts and specific reading performance deficits were evaluated for visual and visual-perceptual development. Referrals were made for perceptual dysfunction, refractive or optometric correction, suspicion of neurologic deficit, emotional and psychologic involvement, and miscellaneous physical anomalies. There were a preponderance of males in the sample, and almost 50 per cent of the sample had significant visual-perceptual or visual dysfunctions judged severe enough to impede learning. Knowledge of visual-perceptual deficits could lead to correction and compensation through therapy and matching teaching methodology designed to meet the developmental needs of the child.