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Virtual Reality Tools for Assessing Unilateral Spatial Neglect: A Novel Opportunity for Data Collection
Published on: March 10, 2021
Assessment of unilateral spatial neglect in children using the Teddy Bear Cancellation Test
Anne Laurent-Vannier1, Mathilde Chevignard, Pascale Pradat-Diehl
1Department of Rehabilitation for Children with Acquired Brain Injury, Hôpital National de Saint Maurice, France. a.laurentvannier@hopital-saint-maurice.fr
Insights
This study provides norms for the Teddy Bear Cancellation Test (TBCT) and finds unilateral spatial neglect (USN) in children with acquired brain injury (ABI). Left USN is common after right-sided brain injuries in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is a common deficit following brain injury.
- Understanding USN in children with acquired brain injury (ABI) is crucial for rehabilitation.
- Normative data for pediatric neuropsychological tests are essential for accurate diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for the Teddy Bear Cancellation Test (TBCT) in children.
- To prospectively assess the frequency and characteristics of USN in children with ABI.
- To investigate the relationship between lesion lateralization and USN in pediatric ABI.
Main Methods:
- Administered the TBCT to a control group (n=419) and a cohort of children with ABI (n=41).
- Collected demographic data including age, sex, and lesion location (right, left, or non-lateralized).
- Analyzed omission frequency, location, and patterns of cancellation strategies.
Main Results:
- Omissions on the TBCT were infrequent in controls and decreased with age; a left-to-right cancellation pattern emerged with age.
- Children under 6 years omitted more items than older children in both groups.
- USN was identified in 7/41 children with ABI; left USN was more prevalent in those with right-sided brain lesions.
Conclusions:
- The TBCT provides valuable normative data for assessing spatial attention in children.
- Left USN is a significant finding in children with right-sided ABI, highlighting hemispheric specialization.
- Early identification and targeted interventions for USN are important for pediatric ABI recovery.
Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to provide normative data for the Teddy Bear Cancellation Test (TBCT) and to evaluate prospectively the frequency of unilateral spatial neglect (USN) in children with acquired brain injury (ABI). In the control group (n = 419; 218 males, 201 females; mean age 5y 1mo [SD 1y 4mo]; range 3 to 8y) omissions were rare and decreased with age. A left displacement of the first three teddy bears cancelled was observed with increasing age. This preferential left-to-right cancelling strategy was interpreted as learned under the influence of reading habits. The same test was used prospectively in 41 children with ABI (24 males, 17 females; mean age 5y 5mo [SD 2y]; range 3 to 8y) admitted to a paediatric rehabilitation department specializing in acquired brain lesions. In patients and controls, children under 6 years of age omitted more items than older children. The localization of omissions was skewed significantly to the left in children with right-sided lesions compared with children with left-sided lesions. USN was observed in seven patients with ABI. Left USN was found in three of the 10 patients with right-sided ABI. Right USN was present in two of the patients with 15 left-sided ABI and two of the 16 patients with non-lateralized ABI. Left USN is frequent in children after right-sided brain injury. The relatively high incidence of right spatial neglect in children is discussed in relation to the development of hemispheric specialization.
