VISUAL THERAPY

Vision therapy is a specialized treatment program designed to correct visual-motor and perceptual-cognitive deficiencies. It assists children in optimizing their visual skills, including fixation, coordination between the two eyes, focusing, and more. This personalized program comprises activities that target the development of the visual system from its most primitive foundation, creating new neuronal connections through repetition. The ultimate goal is to achieve the greatest visual connection with the world, fostering understanding and optimization.

WHAT DO WE WANT TO ENHANCE?

VISUAL SKILLS

Vision therapy involves targeted procedures to improve visual motor skills like eye movements, binocular coordination, convergence, and accommodation flexibility. It addresses issues such as strabismus and amblyopia. In children with special needs, the capacity to fixate, direct gaze, and focus is vital for recognizing and interacting with their surroundings.

VISION-VESTIBULAR
RELATION

The interplay between the vestibular system and the visual system, known as the ocular motor reflex, plays a pivotal role in maintaining balance, facilitating smooth walking, and coordinating various activities. Even when your eyes may not register movement, your brain accurately perceives your body's motion as you navigate through space. Activities targeting the vestibular system often indirectly engage the visual system due to their interconnected nature.

CENTRAL-PERIPHERAL RELATION

Central and peripheral vision play distinct roles in processing our surroundings. Peripheral vision guides us through space, offering an understanding of the environment, while central vision focuses on detailed information about objects of interest. Effective coordination between these pathways is crucial for obtaining detailed information about objects within a space.

VISION AND COGNITION

The connection between vision and cognition is notably significant in children with special needs. Perceptual skills, vital for comprehending visual information, play a key role in distinguishing objects, visual memorization, and identifying individual objects within a complex background.

Targeted training of perceptual skills provides diverse opportunities for improvement in understanding, memory, and spatial awareness.

VISUAL THERAPY FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

Developmental disabilities can significantly impact the visual system, including the eyes, brain, and visual pathways. If present, these challenges can compound a child's disability, affecting school, sports, and everyday tasks.

Individuals with developmental disabilities may not always undergo necessary functional vision screenings, potentially leading to overlooked vision issues. Some children with special needs may face challenges during standard eye exams, leading to potential inaccuracies. Additionally, lack of awareness about how vision should function may result in undetected vision problems persisting for years, as children may not communicate issues during exams.

SYMPTOMS OF UNDETECTED VISION PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN

Omitting or repeating lines when reading
Poor reading comprehension
Homework requiring more time than it should
Reduced visual attention
Difficulty completing assignments on time
Difficulty copying information from the board
Tilting head/closing one eye while reading
Having one eye that turns in or out
Avoiding near work
Unable to listen and look at a person simultaneously
Regularly knocking things over
Having motion sickness
Visual perceptual problems

If your child displays any of these symptoms, an undetected yet treatable vision problem may be the cause.

OPTIMISING THE ENVIRONMENT TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE

In this blog you will find a series of guides, tips and strategies to improve the classroom environment to help enhance the learning of children with special needs.

BLOG