VISUAL THERAPY IN CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Núria Risco Subirà. Optometrist
VISION AND COMMUNICATION
Children with cerebral palsy often face language and communication challenges due to issues like gaze fixation, perception, focus, and visual skill development. Improving visual skills at any developmental stage is crucial for overcoming these obstacles. By actively training these skills, we create opportunities for better connection and interaction with the world, positively impacting communication regardless of the child's developmental stage. Emphasizing visual skill development becomes a catalyst for enhancing a child's ability to engage with their surroundings and communicate effectively, marking a significant step towards improved overall communication abilities.
VISUAL SKILLS THAT SUPPORT COMMUNICATION
Visual fixation
Visual fixation is vital for directing the gaze towards an object, improving neural pathways for connection and recognition. This skill is often improvable in children with cerebral palsy. Enhancing fixation not only improves visual attention but also increases opportunities for better interest, relationships, interaction, emotions, and learning.
Visual recognition
Recognizing objects, faces, and spaces develops alongside visual input and cortical pathways. Optimal visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual fixation, attention, eye movements, and focus are essential for effective recognition. Training visuoperceptive skills, such as visual discrimination and memory, becomes crucial. This training empowers children to enhancing communication.
Comprehension
Vision goes beyond seeing; it involves understanding what we see, a crucial aspect for interacting with the world. Both vision and hearing are integral for receiving and processing information, fostering comprehension. The interaction between hearing and vision is often reciprocal, each sense aiding the other in connecting with the world. Optimizing the interaction of both senses is vital for a comprehensive understanding of our surroundings.
Spatial orientation
Spatial orientation is vital for organizing the body in relation to objects and maintaining spatial awareness. It involves being aware of oneself in space and accurately placing objects in relation to oneself, such as reaching for them without overshooting or losing sight of them.
The ability to locate objects or people in space and direct one's gaze is a fundamental skill for effective communication and interaction with the surroundings. It goes beyond mere fixation.
VISION IN THE USE OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) covers diverse non-speech methods, such as gestures, facial expressions, symbols, pictures, and writing, for expressing thoughts and needs. Individuals with severe speech challenges often use AAC alongside or as an alternative to speech. Specialized tools like electronic devices and communication boards enhance social interaction, school achievement, and self-worth. It's important to note that AAC users should not stop speaking if they can. Instead, these tools aid communication.
Many AAC systems use eyetracker technology, monitoring eye movement for communication through visual fixations. To optimize these devices, training visual skills like fixation, saccades, and focus is crucial. Our center aims to equip individuals with the visual acuity needed for proficient use, fostering smoother communication experiences.
AUDITORY INTEGRATION TRAINING
Auditory Integration Training (AIT) is an effective music program designed to improve social interaction and learning skills in individuals of all ages, particularly those with conditions such as ADHD, ADD, dyslexia, auditory sensitivities, autism, developmental delays, poor concentration, and speech and language problems. AIT addresses the impact of hearing impairments on daily life, including behavior, sensitivity to noise, social interaction, speech and language development, and learning.
Professionals and parents often employ AIT to address speech or language problems and learning delays. The program, based on the positive effects of music, is customized for each individual, resulting in reported improvements such as heightened attention to auditory information, enhanced social behavior, increased interest in communication, improved eye contact, better articulation, enhanced listening comprehension, and overall academic improvement.
AIT has also demonstrated success in reducing sensitivity to sound, impulsivity, aggressive behavior, echolalia, distractibility, and tantrums. By addressing auditory challenges through personalized music interventions, AIT aims to bring about transformative changes that positively impact various facets of an individual's life.
