Atticus' Story
I'd like to start off with a story that starts with a seemingly healthy child that changed over time . Unfortunately with Atticus that was never the case. He came into this world fighting and I fear he will be doing that his entire life. Diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder at 8 months and fighting off a respiratory disease for the first year of his life it hasn't bee smooth sailing for our sweet boy. After his first birthday I has started noticing his lack of eye contact ,and that his eyes would wonder in different direction . Against the advice of others that is was nothing I followed my gut and took his for an eye check up . That appointment took us down the road to specialist after specialist and appointment after appointment . At the age of two he was diagnosed with an optic cognitive disorder that would not resolve it's self . We were told that he would loose his vision entirely in one or both eyes if he did not receive treatment and surgery was not an option. We were referred to a local ophthalmologist who set us on a course of treatment for the next two years. our hearts were breaking as his condition worsened . With nothing left to do his Dr. then suggested a radical treatment of temporarily blinding one of his eyes at a time in order to allow his brain to register the other eye and hopefully start using it again . This didn't sit well with us and after extensive research we decided against this treatment and look for more options . We were back to his optometrist for any other possible solution. They suggested as a last measure of hope physical and vision therapy . This cognitive therapy works with his entire body ,brain and eyes , in an effort to have everything work homogeneously . We have learned the signal from Atticus' eyes to his brain for whatever reason do not work . His brain cannot process what his eyes are seeing and in an attempt of self-preservation his brain then shuts off his vision. He has been in therapy for a little less than a year and we had started to see improvement in his vision,however he has recently hit a plateau and has had huge struggles alone the way . Our biggest hurdle as a family has been struggling to pay out of pocket for these treatment sessions. Our insurance will not cover the treatment since it is not considered a recommended treatment since so little attention is given to this course of treatment to save a child visions. His neuro-ophthalmologist strongly believes with treatment she can not only improve but save his sight and that continuing therapy is his best option for allowing his brain to accept his visual inputs.