Helen Irlen Struggling Readers Interview

Helen Irlen Struggling Readers Interview

Don't jump to conclusions: expert provides top tips for parents of struggling readers.

Parents, has your child been labelled in school as 'dumb", 'stupid" or 'lazy" – and faces constant, humiliating failure as a result? An undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed, reading disorder could be the cause, according to a leading international expert.

'Struggling readers may actually be suffering from visual perceptual disorders," according to educational psychologist Helen Irlen.

'Correct and early identification can reduce frustration, but it may take a team effort from educators, parents and kids alike. Many children have trouble learning to read, even with extra support or tutoring. As a result, they may suffer from low self-esteem, and tend to give up easily, for fear of making a mistake. They try hard, but simply don't understand why they are falling behind their peers."

'Without proper diagnosis, students can face a myriad of challenges. These can include falling behind in school, displaying problem behaviour, dropping out of school, trying drugs, becoming involved in crime or ending up with depression. But appropriate action, including screening and intervention from educators, can save young lives."

Ms. Irlen is the researcher responsible for discovering the Irlen Method of treating visual-perceptual, reading, attention, and learning disorders. Such disorders are known as Irlen Syndrome, which is caused by sensitivity to particular wavelengths of light, causing distortions of print.

'Children who suffer from Irlen Syndrome may read normally up to year two in school and then start to have difficulties as the vocabulary becomes harder and the print smaller. Once the distortions are removed, most can read," Ms. Irlen said.

The Irlen Method uses coloured overlays and spectrally modified filters, worn as glasses, to enable the brain to process visual information accurately. The Method can improve reading fluency, comfort, comprehension, attention and concentration, while reducing light sensitivity.

For those parents whose hearts break as they watch their children struggle to read, Ms. Irlen provided these five top tips:
Glasses may not be the cure. Reading glasses for children may not always be the solution, according to Ms. Irlen. 'When corrective lenses are prescribed, they may be ineffective in cases where reading difficulties are not due to a vision problem. For the student with a visual perceptual dysfunction, a different approach is called for."
Don't jump to conclusions. 'Standardised tests serve as a warning sign that problems exist," said Ms. Irlen. 'However, make an effort to identify the root cause of readers' struggles before jumping to conclusions." For example, as many as half of the children and adults with perceptual-processing problems are misdiagnosed with dyslexia. According to Ms. Irlen, they may have Irlen Syndrome and can often be helped with Irlen spectral filters.
Keep a close eye. Parents, it is not normal for kids to be tired or to have physical symptoms – like headaches and stomach aches – from reading. Observe your child, and react by partnering with teachers to explore causes.
Don't blame. Parents sometimes fear that their child suffers from a reading disorder because they didn't read to him or her enough in formative years. In reality, reading problems are typically hereditary. Just as importantly, don't blame your child for being 'dumb", 'lazy" or stupid" – and don't let others do so, either.
Uncertain? Get your child screened. Parents should ideally screen at-risk children in year two for visual perception disorders. This can eliminate the need for tutoring or serve as an alternative to medication. Today, millions of children use Irlen coloured overlays or filter lenses to manage reading disorders, as well as conditions such as Aspergers, Autism, and ADHD. A qualified Irlen Screener can screen a young child, teenager or adult.

Irlen Syndrome (also known as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome) was identified by Ms. Irlen while she was working with adult learners at California State University Long Beach in the 1980s. Until described in her book, Reading by the Colours, there was no explanation or treatment for perceptual reading difficulties; many people were misdiagnosed as dyslexic, slow learners or having ADHD.

Today, Ms. Irlen's research-based, non-medicated treatment for Irlen Syndrome – the Irlen Method – is considered a groundbreaking solution. The Irlen Method is used in over 44 countries, and there are over 174 Irlen Clinics worldwide. Learn more at www.irlen.com

Interview with Helen Irlen

Question: What are the symptoms of Irlen Syndrome - is it just a reading disorder?

Helen Irlen: Girls should pay particular attention to these symptoms since girls are more likely than boys to be under identified as having a problem and often do not get help. Girls are more likely to work harder and longer to do homework, study for tests, and even keep reading even if reading becomes uncomfortable or hard than boys covering up a problem. Forget the frightening label and focus on the symptoms since Irlen Syndrome is usually inherited and the solution as simple as coloured overlays and Irlen Spectral Filters.

Irlen Syndrome is a perceptual processing problem which can affect any visual activity including reading, writing, copying, doing math calculations, listen in fluorescent lights, and even depth perception and sports ability. The following are some of the problems that someone with Irlen Syndrome may have.

Light Sensitivity Some individuals experience physical symptoms and feel tired, sleepy, dizzy, anxious, or irritable. Others experience headaches, daydream, become restlessness or have difficulty staying focused, especially with bright or fluorescent lights.
Reading Problems: Poor comprehension, difficulty tracking from line to line, lose their place, reading becomes slow or choppy, must reread for comprehension.
Discomfort: Strain and fatigue, sleepy, headaches or nausea, fidgety or restless, eye pain or strain when reading, copying or doing homework.
Attention and Concentration Problems: Problems starting or reading and doing academic tasks without taking breaks. Often other may interpret this as lazy, unmotivated and misdiagnose the conditions, such as attention deficit disorder, and are given medication unnecessarily.
Writing Problems: Trouble copying accurately, writing has unequal spacing or letter size, or not on the line.

Other Characteristics:
Strain or fatigue from computer use
Difficulty reading music
Sloppy, careless math errors
Misaligned numbers in columns
Ineffective use of study time
Lack of motivation
Grades do not reflect the amount of effort

Question: What is the Irlen Method?

Helen Irlen: The Irlen Method is a propriety process developed by Helen Irlen, MA, LMFT, BCPC, who is a Credentialed School Psychologist, Educational Therapist, Adult Learning Disability Specialist, Board Certified Professional Counsellor, and Licensed Therapist to screen for and treat visual processing problems known now as Irlen Syndrome (IS). The Irlen Method uses colour, either as coloured plastic sheets (overlays) and Irlen Spectral Filters worn as glasses which corrects the signal so that the brain can correctly process all visual information.


Question: How is a student diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome?

Helen Irlen: The Irlen testing process consists of two appointments. The first appointment uses perceptual tasks and coloured overlays to determine and eliminate the individual's unique set of distortions and physical symptoms that is affecting reading and other academic tasks During the next appointment the colour that the individual will wear as glasses or contact lenses is scientifically determined. There are initial Self Tests available online which helps someone self-identify whether they have this problem.


Question: Can you describe the technology used for those diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome?

Helen Irlen: Irlen overlays are coloured plastic sheets with a glare and nonglare side. The colours have been scientifically selected and a person may need one sheets or a combination of colours. Irlen Spectral Filters are either worn as glasses. For those that wear prescription lenses the colour is added to the prescription. For those who do not want to wear coloured glasses the colour can be worn as contact lenses where only the center portion that covers the pupil is tinted so that your eye colour does not change.


Question: Why is important that it's a non-medicated method?

Helen Irlen: Irlen Syndrome is an educational problem as are all process problems. It cannot be diagnosed by medical or visual tests. As an educational problem, educators and psychologist understand reading and learning difficulties and have the experience, knowledge and background to be able to be trained to be certified in the Irlen Method.


Question: How is Irlen Syndrome different to dyslexia?
Helen Irlen: The symptoms that most people associated with dyslexia such as letter moving around and changing places are actually some of the problems that occur when reading for those with Irlen Syndrome. Almost half of those individual who have been identified as dyslexic are misdiagnosed and actually have Irlen Syndrome and the solution is coloured overlays and Irlen Spectral Filters. Once the underlying process problem is eliminated, instruction and remediation can progress.


Question: How has the Irlen Method been successful in treating Aspergers and Autism?

Helen Irlen: It is estimated that anywhere from 33% to 80% of those with Asperger and Autism (ASD) have visual processing difficulties which can be eliminated wearing Irlen Spectral Filters. These individuals live in a distorted environment which is assaulting and overwhelming. They use inappropriate behaviours to try to minimize their sensory overload. Irlen Spectral Filters reduces the sensory noise and corrects their distorted environment so that they can perceive faces and social cues, communicate, improve small and gross motor skills, and eliminate many of their inappropriate behaviours.


Question: Why do you find that students with Irlen Syndrome often don't show signs of the syndrome until year 2?

Helen Irlen: During year 2 the print size gets smaller and the amount of print on the page increases and this is a trigger Irlen symptoms. In addition, when the student has acquired the basic reading skills but needs to be able to read with comprehension, then perception processing is critical. Problems of being able to read without losing one's place, being able to read without having to reread for comprehension, and being able to read without having to taking breaks are critical for success in school and in the workplace. These are the skills which the Irlen method can improve immediately.


Question: Can you talk about how you diagnosed and developed a treat for Irlen Syndrome?

Helen Irlen: I had spent years as a school psychologist testing children and finding that the tests were not identifying everyone who were struggling in school. We needed to ask different questions to find new answers. When the experts don't have an answer children blame themselves, feel they are dumb, stupid, lazy or just need to try harder. I was provided a US Federal grant to establish a Learning Disability program for adults at a local California university and conduct research with university students who were struggling with their course work. I discovered that these students saw a printed page differently and thought that everyone saw the page the way that they did. These students reported a variety of distortions after reading for a short while including words becoming blurry; running off the page; flipping around, moving, floating. In addition, these students reported that reading became uncomfortable. I knew that it was important to discover a method to stop the distortions so that print would be clear and still. After months of researching a variety of method, I tried a method that was used to developed eye dominance. In the process of trying red-green glasses and a red overlay, I discovered that reading with a red overlay helped stop the movement on the page for one college student. My research continued for three more years in order to refine and develop a method for identifying those with this problem, determine which colours were needed as overlays and finally coloured lenses.


Question: How common is Irlen Syndrome in Australia?

Helen Irlen: The incidence of Irlen Syndrome in Australia is around 12-15% of the general population, and around 50% of the reading disabled population. Many studies put the incidence even higher. This is the same incidence as found in the USA, UK, and New Zealand.


Interview by Brooke Hunter