The Individual Vision Training for

Toddlers, Preschool Children and

Children with Central Visual Impairment

Marketa Skalicka, Jana Stvrtnova, Lucie Magerova

Association of Low Vision Therapists

and

Early Intervention Centre in Prague

ICEVI Dublin 2009

Aims of the presentation

Sharing experiences of the good

practice in discovering tools for

development of visual images of

children without or with little previous

visual experience

Tools for development of picture

perception addapted for indivual needs

Programme of vision stimulation and

vision training in Early Intervention

Based on Methology „Development of visual

perception, Metod of vision stimulation and

vision training“ (Markéta Skalická, 2003)A ) Vision stimulation-environment adaptation( high contrast, ilumination, contrast patterns, brightness, hue of colours ) - affect development of visual pathways and visual centres in the brain and conscious perception connected with involvement of other senses (hearing, touch, mobility)

B) Vision trainig:

- training of conscious active

utilisation of residual vision

abilities for:

-orientation and mobility,

- communication,

- dailly living skills

- development of visual

images

Specific approach to children in

preschool ageRespect their individual level of

psycho -motor development:

- time, body position, selection

of

activities

Respect present level of visual

impairment

- choice of size, contrast,

requirements of the stimuli on

cognitive level of the child and

previous experiences

Individual programme for the child

Child developes

visual images

through

experience in his

family, home,

community

Individual programme for the child

Well observe

abilities of the

child

Listen to the

parents

observation

Award the child

for vision activity

Individual programme for the child

Selection the object of child interest

(song, poem, activity)

Size,

Outlines and silhouettes,

Contrast and illumination,

Colour

Amound of details and crowding,

Verbal description,

Using previous experiences.

Individual programme for the child Teach the child

strategies to:

explore near space

scan the group of

pictures, localise object

look for characteristic

features of object

use previous

experience to recognise

the same object on new

picture, in new position

Light box APH-

tool for

development of

visual functions

and skills

Individual adaptation for child

adjustment of contrast, level of illumination

adjustment of the position of the stimuli

active interraction of the child and the object -touch, manipulation

quite wide choice of material

3 levels of abilities requirement -

enable gradual development of visual

perception from light perception to

perception of detail on pictures

Level 1

Light box material APHLevel 2: large pictures, contour, geometric shapes

Light box APH - Level 3

Lilly and Gogo (G.Jaritz and L. Hyvarinen)

Simple and

contrast

background,

contour

less detailes

Utilisation of regular toys and

games

Development of picture images

Set of objects

and

photographs

of most

common

object -

building visual

images from

3D to 2 D

Using technologies from

advertisement business

Individually made pictures of

children and their friends

(when the photo has no enough contrast)

Boardmaker Programme

(www.mayer-Johnson.com)Offeres adjustment of

- size,

- coulour of the object

and the background,

- thicknes of the contours,

- frame,

- combination of objects.

Boardmaker

Pictures

Boardmaker

Pictures

Boardmaker

Pictures

Choice of topic,

use of objects

familiar to the child

Boardmaker pictures - choice of topic

and objects - building new images

Boardmaker - illustration of the

story, song, poem

“Blow, blow wind,

Bring me one pear,

Bring me one or two,

I will have them both”

Literature

Brilliant, Richard, L.: Essentials of Low Vision Practice, Chapter

16, Butteworth-Heinemann, USA 1999, ISBN 0-7506-9307-X

Heiner,D.: Learning to look, Michigan 1986

Hyvarinen,L.: Evaluation of Infants and Children, in Vision

Impairment and Vision Rehabilitation, Light House,Oxford 2000,

ISBN 0-19-509517-0

Thank you for your attention

skalicka.marketa@volny.cz