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Updated: Aug 4, 2025
Author Spotlight: An Automated Method for Assessing Visual Acuity in Infants and Toddlers Using an Eye-Tracking System
Published on: March 17, 2023
Norwegian paediatric habilitation centres judge their own competence on cerebral visual impairment as limited
Pamela Friede1, Sandra Julsen Hollung2,3, Torstein Vik3
1Department of Education, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
Insights
Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is often overlooked in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Norwegian habilitation centres need better CVI knowledge and assessment to address these challenges.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental pediatrics
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is a common functional impairment in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- CVI presents significant communicative, social, and academic challenges for affected children.
- Paediatric habilitation centres in Norway are key facilities for assessing children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the identification of CVI in Norwegian paediatric habilitation centres.
- To assess the competence of these centres in evaluating CVI.
- To determine the reported prevalence of CVI among children with cerebral palsy.
Main Methods:
- An electronic questionnaire was distributed to leaders of all 19 Norwegian paediatric habilitation centres.
- Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the questionnaire responses.
- Register-based data were utilized to estimate the prevalence of CVI in children with cerebral palsy.
Main Results:
- Only 3 out of 17 responding centres felt they had sufficient CVI competence.
- Systematic screening for CVI was not employed by any centre, with 11 reporting inadequate assessment.
- The prevalence of CVI among children with cerebral palsy was found to be 8%, with CVI status unknown in 33%.
Conclusions:
- There is a clear need for enhanced CVI knowledge and improved assessment strategies at Norwegian paediatric habilitation centres.
- CVI is frequently overlooked in children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Improved identification and assessment are crucial for supporting children with CVI.
Aim:
Cerebral visual impairment (CVI), a frequently occurring functional impairment in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, leads to communicative, social and academic challenges. In Norway, children with neurodevelopmental disorders are assessed at paediatric habilitation centres. Our aims were to explore how CVI is identified, how paediatric habilitation centres assess their CVI competence and the reported prevalence of CVI among children with cerebral palsy.
Methods:
An electronic questionnaire was sent to all 19 Norwegian paediatric habilitation centre leaders in January 2022. The results were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The prevalence of CVI among children with cerebral palsy was estimated using register-based data.
Results:
The questionnaire was answered by 17. Only three judged their habilitation centre as having sufficient competence on CVI. None of the centres used screening questionnaires systematically, and 11 reported that CVI assessment was not good enough. Awareness that a child may have CVI typically occurred during examinations for other diagnoses. The prevalence of CVI among children with cerebral palsy was only 8%, while CVI status was unknown in 33%.
Conclusion:
Better knowledge and assessment of CVI at Norwegian paediatric habilitation centres are needed. CVI appears to be often overlooked in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
