In this article, the authors identify possible indicators of cerebral visual impairments (CVI) in young children. Noticing the signs of cerebral visual impairment can assist occupational therapists in the early detection and therapy planning for preschoolers in early intervention programs. Several instructional models are described to meet the…

Early intervention visual impairment services are built on a model that values family. Matrix session planning pulls together parent priorities, family routines, and identified strategies in a way that helps families and early intervention professionals outline a plan that can both highlight long-term goals and focus on what can be done today.…

The Frank Porter Graham (FPG) Child Development Institute, Early Intervention Training Center for Infants and Toddlers with Visual Impairments and Their Families, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was a national project that developed resources with the goal of building the capacity of colleges and universities to prepare personnel to…

Early intervention services provide very young children, typically aged birth to 3 years, and their families "early and appropriate learning experiences to facilitate the child's learning and development" in their natural environment. Teachers of students with visual impairments and certified orientation and mobility (O&M)…

In this excerpt from the book "From Lullabies to Literature: Stories in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers," the authors offer dos and don'ts for sharing story experiences with very young children. They include tips such as keeping groups intimate, showing pleasure and enthusiasm, being expressive, and using props. The authors suggest story…

Every year, under the federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), millions of children with disabilities receive special services designed to meet their unique needs. Early intervention services are provided through the state to infants and toddlers with disabilities under three years of age and their families. For…

When entering the Blind Childrens Center (BCC), what a person might not realize is that four of the five visually impaired children in a classroom share the same diagnosis of Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (OHN). ONH is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in young children. It is important that these children participate in an inclusive…

All babies communicate. It is through communication that relationships are formed and sustained. All parents must learn how to interpret and respond to their baby's communications in order to form the bonds that become the foundation for development. When a child has both a visual impairment and hearing loss, however, it may be more difficult to…

Self-regulation and self-determination are part of a continuum of behaviors that are acquired through interaction with the social and physical environment and through problem solving based on experiences that begin in infancy and build throughout early childhood. These abilities should be nurtured early for all children, especially within the…

The document, over three-fourths of which consists of appendixes, presents the 1978-79 final performance report for Project Outreach, the informational extension of the Infant Program for Visually Imapired (IPVI). Materials and media produced by Project Outreach are based on direct experience with visually impaired preschool children through the…

The article gives a select overview of the purpose, process, and procedures which are involved in neonatal vision screening. Significant responses and reactions worth noting are outlined so an evaluator might have an indication of what to look for in using such a tool. (Author)

The Foundation for Blind Children, established in 1952, is a private, nonprofit, United Way agency. The foundation's mission is to provide education, counseling, communication and technology services to children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. By helping them to master their environment, it helps families lead lives of independence…

This booklet presents suggestions for parents to promote their visually impaired infant's motor development. It is pointed out that babies with serious visual loss often prefer their world to be constant and familiar and may resist change (including change in position); therefore, it is important that a wide range of movement activities be…

The Multidisciplinary Interagency Core Evaluation Project coordinates general and specialized services existing in rural communities of New Hampshire to serve the needs of visually handicapped infants and young children who otherwise face a confusing array of services or none at all. Project operation and replication procedures are considered. (CL)

A comprehensive program of stimulation activities for visually handicapped infants is described. The author explains that parents are largely responsible for the early training of their infants and since their participation in the program is a critical factor special emphasis is given to teaching them to carry out the activities. (PHR)