At the end of February 2020, a new baby entered the Elia Rehovot branch.
One year chronological age, 10 months standardized age. Born prematurely at week 32, diagnosed with grade 3 cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral dilation, underwent shunt surgery to drain fluids.
In the Cognition Committee held two months earlier, there appears to be a significant visual impairment, with the impairment not ocular but probably cerebral, following a number of factors on examination that may suggest a diagnosis of cortical visual impairment – CVI. The recommendation given here is an adapted environment and early intervention for the purpose of encouraging and improving the abilities of visual function.
About a week after entering the daycare center, due to a health problem, the baby was hospitalized and did not arrive at the daycare center until after the daycare center reopened at the end of the Corona closure, at the end of April 2020.
Throughout the period, there was remote communication between the mother and the kindergarten teacher and the professional staff of the branch. The escort took place at least twice a week and the mother happily responded to any guidance given. Towards the end of March, the possibility arose to perform a vision assessment with the help of the mother, accompanied by instruction from the kindergarten teacher and Elia’s erogenous vision instructor. The mother happily cooperated and began performing vision exercises at home with the baby according to detailed instructions given to her. Assessment of vision function skills through the kindergarten teacher and vision instructor and instructions were given to the mother following the functional abilities observed.
The exercises were performed in room lighting with illuminated objects, in the dark with illuminated objects, in the dark with red objects and with shiny objects, in the use of objects with an element of movement and so on. Skills of focusing, tracking, reaching for objects, coordinating hand-eye and more were tested. Parameters of the speed of the reactions and the duration of the reactions were also examined – delay and delay.
After each video and function test, the mother was instructed on how to perform vision exercises with the baby at home. The mother’s cooperation in performing the visual assessment from a distance, allowed us to continue in creative ways and teach the important and significant doing of promoting the baby’s visual function.
In early May, with a return to routine, a visual assessment was performed in the kindergarten and her findings seemed to match the initial assessment done remotely and the work goals on which the mother was given guidance.
