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Teacher for the Visually Impaired - Personal CVI Journey
Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin
5/21/2018 3:46 PM
Post by Kayley McDonald, OTD Doctoral Candidate and Denee Kroeger, OTR/L
The following post contains the lived experience from Nicola McDowell a qualified teacher for the visually impaired (QTVI) and orientation and mobility specialist (O&M Specialist) in New Zealand who was not diagnosed with cortical visual impairment (CVI) until adulthood. She speaks about her journey through childhood and early adulthood when she received diagnosis of CVI. Notice the different characteristics and challenges she notes and coping mechanisms she adopted in an effort to try and adapt to visual processing difficulties.
The lived experience described in Nicola’s presentation comes from the perspective of an individual without motor, cognitive, or communication difficulties, therefore it is not representative of the majority of children with CVI. In fact, 68% of children were found to have an additional developmental disability in addition to CVI (Hatton, Schwietz, Boyer, & Rychwalski, 2007). Nicola’s thorough explanation of the challenges she has experienced as a result of living with CVI provides insight into some of the challenges that children with CVI may also be experiencing, though they may not be able to vocalize those challenges.
Nicola McDowell - My CVI Journey - https://youtu.be/H7SoRdMovfI
Reference
Hatton, D. D., Schwietz, E., Boyer, B., & Rychwalski, P. (2007). Babies Count: The National Registry for Children with Visual Impairments, Birth to 3 Years. Journal of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, 11, pp. 351– 355.
Speech-Language Pathologist,Educator,Parent/Family Member,Occupational Therapist,Physical Therapist
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Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
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Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
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