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[Ophthalmological rehabilitation of visually impaired children]
1Sehbehindertenambulanz, Universitätsaugenklinik Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076, Tübingen, Deutschland. elke.altpeter@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
Insights
This study examined visually impaired children in Germany, finding optic atrophy and retinal dystrophy as common diagnoses. Magnifying aids and mainstream schooling with support are crucial for their education.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Special Education
Background:
- Limited research exists on visually impaired children in Germany.
- This study addresses the need to understand the current spectrum of diseases and support systems for these children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spectrum of diseases causing visual impairment in children.
- To evaluate the provision of aids and integrative support for visually impaired children in educational settings.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 303 children attending a specialized outpatient clinic.
- Data collected included ophthalmological diagnosis, visual acuity, need for magnification, and support measures.
Main Results:
- Optic atrophy (22.4%) and hereditary retinal dystrophy (18.5%) were the most frequent diagnoses.
- 52% of schoolchildren attended mainstream schools with integrative care.
- 73% of schoolchildren required magnifying aids for reading, with 53% using electronic devices.
Conclusions:
- Magnifying aids are essential for the education of visually impaired children, with 73% utilizing them.
- Mainstream schooling with specialized pedagogical support is feasible for over half of these students.
Background:
There are very few studies on visually impaired children in Germany; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the current spectrum of diseases of visually impaired children and the care of these children in schools and kindergartens with aids and integrative support.
Patients And Methods:
In a retrospective study all children (n =303) who attended the outpatient department for the visually impaired of the University Eye Hospital Tübingen in 2013 and 2014 were evaluated. The target values were ophthalmological diagnosis, best corrected visual acuity, needs for magnification, prescribed aids, measures for early support and integrative care and inclusion during schooltime.
Results:
The most frequent diagnosis in this collective which led to visual impairment in children was optic atrophy (22.4%) followed by hereditary retinal dystrophy (18.5%), congenital nystagmus (9.9%), albinism (8.6%), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP, 7.9%), aniridia (4.6%), cerebral visual impairment (CVI, 4.3%) and severe myopia (3%). Of the children 21% suffered from multiple disabilities, 66% were visually impaired (visual acuity ≤0.3 and >0.05), 9% were severely visually impaired (visual acuity ≤0.05) and 6% were legally defined as blind (visual acuity ≤0.02). Of the schoolchildren 52% (n = 241) were able to visit a mainstream school within the framework of integrative care. For 77% of these schoolchildren integrative care was already provided by a special pedagogic institution at the time of presentation for school entry and 73% of all the schoolchildren needed magnifying aids at school: 20% used optical magnifying aids (e.g. reading stones) and 53% needed electronic magnifying aids, such as screen magnifiers or camera reading systems.
Conclusion:
Particularly for children, the use of magnifying aids for reading is essential for education in schools and 73% of the children used optical or electronic devices for reading. Of the children 52% attended a mainstream school and were additionally supported by special pedagogic counseling services.
