Special Needs Care

Children born with genetic interferences, who experience an early brain injury, those with delays in neurological development or other congenital conditions, have a higher incidence of visual interferences to development than other children. Children with Special Needs need special care.

We understand the struggle that these children and their families experience. Most frequently, we don’t evaluate their visual development while sitting in an examination chair, but rather while they are in a natural environment that is comfortable and engaging for them. This enables us to determine how well their visual system derives meaning from their environment, and how well their visual system guides the movement of their body through space.

All the basic areas of vision are evaluated regardless of the child’s age or ability to communicate: Visual acuity, the presence of amblyopia (“lazy eye”) refractive status, binocularity (strabismus), accommodation (focusing), depth perception, and peripheral vision.

The ability for us to evaluate visual perceptual development is most frequently available as well. The use of standardized tests for young children is available, and depending on the child, a variety of these assessments can be used. It is unusual that we are unable to evaluate visual perceptual development.

Most importantly, after we have an understanding of what your child can see and do with their visual system, we can nurture their current abilities, and develop those that are delayed. This is done best through a team approach, often with Occupational Therapists, Speech/Language Therapists as well as a wide variety of other clinicians and developmental therapists.

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