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The inner-ear mechanisms responsible for Dyslexia or ADD and related syndromes must first be demonstrated before medical treatment can be initiated. Most important, the pattern of diagnostic inner-ear-determined signs and symptoms characterizing each patient is essential for choosing the combination of medications most likely to be helpful.
Since only medical treatment is provided by The Medical Dyslexic and ADD Treatment Center, only medical testing, especially of the inner-ear (CV) system, is performed — exceptions aside. (Educational and psychological testing are most helpful when tutoring is performed. Also, additional visual and related testing is provided to facilitate other therapeutic modalities and ensure diagnostic reliability). As a result, descriptions of the following non-invasive diagnostic tests and measurements are provided to help you understand the primary procedures performed at this center:
Electronystagmography (ENG)pho
The ENG is a standardized neurophysiological test in which eye movements are induced and measured under various testing conditions. Fine and reflexive eye movements are controlled by the cerebellum and the vestibular system. As a result, the ENG can help determine whether or not an inner-ear abnormality exists.
Audiological Testing
Audiological testing attempts to determine the presence or absence of middle ear and related problems. It evaluates (1) the pressure of the middle ear system, (2) the compliance or distensibility of the middle ear, (3) the acoustic reflexes of the ear drum, and (4) the ability of the patient to hear and distinguish different pitches at varying volumes.
Posturography
Posturography testing assesses overall balance function (sensory integration), vision dependence, proprioception (internal senses) dependence, symmetry of weight bearing, lateral sway, and overall assessment of vestibular deficits. And its computer generated scores serve as an objective measure of medication-triggered improvements. Also, many of the symptoms of an inner-ear disorder (e.g., imbalance, dizziness, motion sickness, etc.) can sometimes result from other illnesses as well (i.e., extreme stress and anxiety, dysfunction of cerebral and other related CNS structures). Posturography aids in this differentiation since a vestibular dysfunction produces a specific, quantifiable frequency and pattern of movement which is distinct from that caused by other disorders.
Optokinetic Testing
Since the inner-ear controls the eye's ability to rapidly track and efficiently fixate targets, a dysfunction results in "clumsy eye movements." The result is rapid or pathological blurring scores as well as impaired fixation and movement illusions of stationary figures. By utilizing medical instruments proven capable of diagnosing inner-ear/cerebellar dysfunction — including a simple, rapid and accurate 3D Optical Scanner for detecting the eye tracking disorder characterizing all dyslexics — it is possible to determine those with dyslexia in almost 100% of individuals tested.
How the 3D Optical Scanner Works
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When a sequence of elephants are accelerated across a computer screen, the eye is physiologically forced to track this sequence at a proportional speed so that clear vision can be maintained. Since inner-ear impaired dyslexics were found to have defective or clumsy eye movements, their eyes will not be able to "run" as fast as the elephants. As a result, they will blur-out the elephant sequence at speeds sharply reduced from those of normal children or adults. The blurring-speed is then a diagnostic indicator of an inner-ear/cerebellar dysfunction which predisposes children to dyslexia. Most important, this test is independent of the following typical variables complicating the usual "pencil and paper" tests, i.e., language, culture, socioeconomic status, prior tutoring, etc. Thus this test can be used to effectively screen young children before they begin to fail and before they begin to feel dumb, ugly, stupid, brainless, etc. |
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Neurological Testing
This consists of a series of standardized neurological tests commonly administered to assess the status of the integrated function of the cerebellar-vestibular (CV) system as well as other central nervous system (CNS) structures. Difficulties with any of these tests indicates a dysfunction within the CV or CNS systems.
Bender Gestalt & GoodEnough Figure Drawings
The copying of Bender-Gestalt and GoodEnough designs significantly tests CV-determined and regulated visual-spatial processing and graphomotor abilities. These drawings highlight CV-based difficulties with tilting, articulation of related parts, angle formation, rhythmicity and overall maturity of graphomotor coordination and output.
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