Suchergebnisse

This article describes and reflects upon the use of diffusely coloured tents to enclose both child and therapist which, in our service, has brought about remarkable transformations in attention, engagement, and understanding for severely impaired children with multiple disabilities and cerebral visual impairment (MDVI). A brief overview of how to construct this simple tent is presented, and the ways in which these tents have proved effective are described by means of two case studies of students with complex needs. The positive impact over a 2-year period was considerable. The changes brought about persisted into typical environments, and parents and carers expressed surprise and delight at the outcome. The proposed explanation is that the children who benefitted had profound impairment in seeing more than one or two items at once (simultanagnosia) due to presumed damage in the posterior parietal lobes of the brain, related to their cerebral palsy, and that elimination of distraction allowed this limited visual function to be recruited, to afford meaningful experience and enhance learning.

Damage to the areas of the brain that are responsible for higher visual processing can lead to severe cerebral visual impairment (CVI). The prognosis for higher cognitive visual functions in children with CVI is not well described. We therefore present our six-year follow-up of a boy with CVI and highlight intervention approaches that have proved consistently effective.

The purpose of this study is to pilot a new notification system for children with visual impairment (VI) and describe the initial summary findings. A system of notification of children in Scotland with VI was established. Information concerning this system was distributed to professionals working with visually impaired children to forward to parents. Parents, teachers and health professionals were all encouraged to notify children with VI. 975 families with children with (VI) were notified and received information and support from Visual Impairment Scotland (VIS). For this review, the data from 850 parents were included in the analysis. The provision of a range of support services for parents and children with VI has led to a wide range of children being notified to VIS. The causes of VI can be recorded as well as other useful demographic information. The methods used could be applied across the range of low incidence childhood disabilities.

This longitudinal case study presents John's journey through childhood and adolescence, living with visual difficulties associated with a cerebral visual impairment. It highlights the day-to-day problems that John encountered, giving practical solutions and strategies that have enabled his dream of going to a university to be realized. John and his family are an inspiration.