Make it easier: 3-word strategies to help children with cerebral visual impairment use their vision more effectively

Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) is the most common cause of visual impairment in children in the United Kingdom. Management relies on identifying strategies and adaptations which enable the child to use their vision effectively and efficiently. The majority of published strategies involve lengthy inventories used in a specialist setting. Feedback from parent support groups cite the provision of immediate advice on strategies at the time of diagnosis as a key indicator of good care. The aim of the study was to use the Delphi technique to construct a set of three-word phrases to succinctly describe strategies for common visual dysfunctions in children with CVI.

A panel of twelve experts across health, education and those with lived experience was recruited. Four rounds of questionnaires were used to reach consensus on candidates symptoms and suggestions for 3-word-phrases. Consensus was defined as 70% agreement.

Response rates were 92, 67, 92 and 91% for each round respectively. The 3-word phrases reaching consensus were: Big Bold Bright; Keep it Still; Eyes or Ears; Show It High; Better on Left/Right; Clear the Clutter; Keep It Short; Give Me Time, My Vision Varies, Just One Thing.

The intention is for the phrases presented to act as a 'starter' at the point of diagnosis and are appropriate for children of any developmental or visual ability. The real-life validation of this set of expert-consensus phrases will require further studies, evaluating both their effectiveness in terms of mapping to an intervention and impact on visual development.