Assessment of vision processing and hand movement in children
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment of vision processing and hand movement in normally developing children \naged 8-16 years attending mainstream school\n
IRAS ID
140110
Contact name
Isobel Hay
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Research summary
Where simultaneous visual perception is compromised (the condition is known as simultanagnosia) in children as part of Cerebal Visual Impairment (CVI), atypical visually guided movement, termed optic ataxia, may be seen. In adult; these conditions signify bilateral damage to a part of the brain termed the parieto-occipital cortex.\nAssessing children with this type of CVI requires ophthalmological examination and a novel neurodevelopmental approach that uses existing age-standardised assessment tools (including interview for CVI) and adult-derived methodologies (adapted for children). Hand reach and grasp of objects is analysed using slow motion video capture to look for correlation with the optic ataxia described in adults. This approach to assessment has been progressively refined since 2007 in order to identify, support and habilitate the most seriously compromised children.\nThe project aims to derive a set of data from normally developing children receiving a neurodevelopmental assessment designed to diagnose parieto-occipital dysfunction. Children with normal development will be recruited from two mainstream schools (primary and secondary) with the agreement of the schools’ Head teachers. \nPossible participants will have normal range verbal skills (identified by the school’s Educational Psychologist), no co-existing conditions as per a checklist, and no evidence of CVI on screening using a validated questionnaire.\nTwo children from each year group between 8 and 16 years will receive the same neurodevelopmental, orthoptic, and ophthalmological assessments as are used for children with CVI (except that no eye drops are used for the eye checks). Verbal skills assessment will be undertaken by Educational Psychology. All data will be anonymised. Video data will be stored in a secure locked cabinet in a locked office in the Child Development Centre for NHS Dumfries and Galloway. Edited sections of video will be anonymised and stored on an encrypted NHS laptop computer.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
14/WS/0056
Date of REC Opinion
9 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion