VISUAL THERAPY IN CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Núria Risco Subirà. Optometrist
VISION AND LEARNING
Visual attention and processing challenges can hinder the acquisition of print awareness skills, especially in children with cortical visual impairment. These children may display atypical perception, interpretation, or motor responses to visual information due to issues in visual information processing from eyes to brain.
Prioritizing the development of visual efficiency and processing skills is crucial. This effort aims to improve learning opportunities, beginning with object discrimination and advancing to letter and number recognition, ultimately facilitating reading and writing. Tailored to each child's motor and cognitive abilities, this approach ensures targeted intervention to maximize their potential for increased learning and skill acquisition.
VISUAL ABILITIES NECESSARY FOR LEARNING
Visual tracking
Learning through the visual channel involves directing our eyes to fixate on the object of interest, enabling location, focus, and processing. The effectiveness of eye movements, significantly influences the reception of visual information, enhancing learning performance.
For children with special needs, a thorough analysis of their visuomotor skills is crucial. Optometric tools are then utilized to develop and optimize all relevant skills to the highest possible level.
Focus
Focusing is crucial for sharp vision of nearby objects, essential in recognizing and interacting with various elements like objects, faces, pictures, letters, etc. This ability depends on the coordinated action of several visual skills. Training this skill in various ways provides multiple opportunities for improvement.
Eye teaming
Binocular vision is the skill enabling both eyes to work together with precision, facilitating sustained, distinct, and comfortable vision and forming the foundation of depth perception.
In children with cerebral palsy, compromised binocular vision can lead to challenges in stability, focusing, sharpness, and spatial localization. Understanding the difficulties helps educators comprehend various attitudes exhibited by the child in their learning process.
Visual perception
Visual recognition or memory of an object, face, or place, processing stimuli or complex scenes, and challenges in directing movements or gestures under the control of vision can manifest in various combinations.
Learning is impossible without perceiving information. The fundamental circuitry of looking, processing, seeing, and perceiving is crucial for understanding the world around us. Learning involves connecting with the world, retaining information, situating oneself, and gaining understanding.
SYMPTOMS OF VISUAL PROBLEMS THAT CAN GIVE LEARNING PROBLEMS
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Visual Acuity: Affects object recognition. Solutions include increasing object size, enhancing contrast, and eliminating distractions.
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Visual Field Disturbances: Hemianopsia can cause communication problems and mobility issues. Awareness of the child's position in the classroom is crucial.
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Eye Movements: Tracking difficulties impact following moving targets. Head movement may compensate, especially for slowly moving objects.
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Visual Attention: Attention disorders result in difficulty handling multiple visual tasks simultaneously, leading to frustration when distracted.
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Orientation: Orientation difficulties may cause the child to become lost, especially in unfamiliar environments. Visual recognition of space is crucial for orientation skills.
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Visual Fatigue: Visual efficiency and slow processing of visual information contribute to visual fatigue in daily activities, potentially leading to a reluctance to engage in learning tasks.
THE LEARNING ABILITIES OF CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY CAN ALWAYS BE EMPROVED
Enhancing visual skills plays a pivotal role in refining the information input pathway, thereby easing the efforts of educators.
For occupational therapists and educators working with these children, it is crucial to identify and understand the consequences of visual impairment. This understanding is instrumental in recognizing and addressing various aspects, aiding in the adaptation of materials and spaces to better suit the needs of the child.
Visual aids and stimulation emerge as indispensable tools in facilitating the reception and comprehension of visual information. These resources serve as key elements in optimizing the learning environment for children with cerebral palsy, fostering a more effective and supportive educational experience.
