Sensory Integration for Infants With Cortical Visual Impairment

The Effectiveness of Sensory Integration Interventions on Motor and Sensory Functions in Infants With Cortical Vision Impairment and Cerebral Palsy: A Single Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Our study examines the effect of sensory integration training on sensory, motor and oculomotor skills in infants with cortical vision impairment .

Cortical vision impairment (CVI) and Cerebral Palsy (CP) lead to decrement in sensory and motor functions of infants. The current study examined the effectiveness of sensory integration interventions on sensory, motor, and oculomotor skills in infants with cortical vision impairment. Thirty-four infants with CVI and CP aged 12-18 months were enrolled to the study. The infants were randomly divided into 2 groups as the control and intervention groups. The intervention group took sensory integration intervention 2 days a week for 8 weeks in addition to conventional physiotherapy two days a week for eight weeks. The control group only received the conventional physiotherapy program 2 days a week for 8 weeks. The duration of the treatment sessions were 45 minutes for both interventions. Before and after the intervention, sensory processing functions were evaluated with the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI) and motor functions were evaluated with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).

Physiotherapy program 8 weeks 2 days in a week 45 minutes per session Conventional physiotherapy Sensory integration therapy program 8 weeks 2 days in a week 45 minutes per session Sensory integration therapy

The individuals were divided into two as randomized controlled. Both physiotherapy and sensory integration therapy were applied to the intervention group. Each treatment was applied as 2 sessions per week, 2 days a week for 8 weeks. In the control group, only physiotherapy treatment was applied for 8 weeks, 2 days a week, 2 sessions per week.

The TSFI consists of 24 items. It was developed to evaluate sensory processing problems in infants aged 4 to 18 months. The test consists of five subsections and 24 items.

The AIMS gives information about the gross motor development of infants whose corrected ages are between 0 and 18 months. In AIMS, the age of infants is calculated as the corrected age. It allows the family and the clinician to obtain information about the infant's current motor development and to compare the motor development before and after treatment.

The TSFI consists of 24 items. It was developed to evaluate sensory processing problems in infants aged 4 to 18 months. The test consists of five subsections and 24 items.

The AIMS gives information about the gross motor development of infants whose corrected ages are between 0 and 18 months. In AIMS, the age of infants is calculated as the corrected age. It allows the family and the clinician to obtain information about the infant's current motor development and to compare the motor development before and after treatment.

Inclusion Criteria Cerepral palsy Cortical visual impairment 12-18 months Exclusion Criteria Not participating in treatment regularly