Further Information on CVI Can Be Found At

Further information on CVI can be found at: Special Educational Needs Support CVI Society: http://www.cvisociety.org.uk/ How to contact us: Service (Visual Impairment)

Little Bear Sees: Address: SENSS VI Team, http://www.littlebearsees.org/ The Wheatley Centre, Littleworth Rd, Information leaflet Wheatley, Oxon. OX33 1PH RNIB CVI  https://www.rnib.org.uk/information- Tel: 01865 456711 (Cortical Visual Impairment or everyday-living-family-friends-and- carers-understanding-your-childs- Email: Cerebral Visual Impairment) eye-condition [email protected]  https://www.rnib.org.uk/information- everyday-living-family-friends-and- carers-insight-magazine-insight- features/cerebral

Scottish Sensory Centre http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/resource s/vi&multi/eyeconds/cereVI.html

What is it? What are its effects? What can we do to help? What is CVI? Possible impacts of CVI: What can we do to help?

Cortical visual impairment is the most  There may be a delay in responding to o Take time to understand the specific, common form of visual impairment found in any visual stimulus (visual latency). often unique, nature of your child’s CVI. children in the developed world. It differs  Visual responses may be reduced when o Be persistent in providing opportunities from other forms of visual impairment in the child is hungry, stressed, tired for visual stimulation and development. that the eye and optic nerve can be healthy and/or unwell. It is possible, for some children with and fully functional. The impairment in  Locating items may be increasingly CVI, that visual development can be vision is caused by difficulties for the brain difficult if these are presented on a sustained throughout childhood and in processing the images it receives. This cluttered background. adolescence. Allow plenty of time for any response to brain damage can result from recognised  Visual responses may be better within o causes such as reduced levels of oxygen at one part of the visual field than in a visual stimulus and completion of birth, illness (eg. meningitis), stroke or others. visual tasks. trauma (a head injury) but sometimes there  Visual responses may be reduced in an is no known reason for the condition. CVI environment in which other senses are may be accompanied by additional visual also busy (ie a noisy or particularly impairments in which the eye and/or optic crowded environment). nerve are affected and is often, but not  Sustaining visual concentration can be always, found alongside other disabilities extremely tiring. o Understand that visual tasks can be such as cerebral palsy and/or learning  Visual recognition of people can be very tiring and allow time for rest and difficulties. impaired. relaxation.  There may be a stronger visual o Ensure times of specific visual response to familiar and well-loved stimulation are carried out in a quiet objects than to new items. environment, at times when the child is  Judging depth and distance can be relaxed. impaired. o Provide any visual stimulus/item on a  There may be a stronger visual plain, highly contrasting background. response to items that are moving than o Introduce yourself when addressing any to those that are stationery. person with CVI.  The child may look away from an object o Make use of real objects and real life when reaching out for it. experiences wherever possible rather  Maintaining eye contact may be difficult than relying on pictures and/or videos. or impossible. o Provide audio description of events  Comprehension of printed text and/or occurring around the child. pictures may be significantly reduced. o Ask what is most/least helpful in terms of support!