Dressing is a fundamental independent living skill (ILS). Vision is an integrative sense which affords learning via sighted observation. Visual impairment (VI) denies/restricts access to learning via sight. As a result, children with VI and conditions where VI may be a component (e.g. Down syndrome (DS)) require structured, systematic support to develop ILS. The current study used a repeatedmeasures-intervention approach to examine the development of the ILS of dressing (ILSD) with novel intervention materials in young children. Participants (N=27: age range 5;05-10;02 years) were drawn from three groups: VI (n=9; age range 5;05-10;02 years); DS (n=9; age range 5;05-10;00 years) and Typically Developing (TD) (n=9; age range 6;05-8;00 years). The effectiveness of the intervention materials was measured over a period of 10 weeks. Clear and systematic verbal instruction combined with motor activities were useful in supporting ILSD. The assessment of the longer term effectiveness was carried out at 1 and 3 months post-intervention. This paper reported that the novel intervention materials supported the development of ILSD in all three groups. The findings could form a model for future work regarding the development of ILS in other skill areas and generalised to other developmental disorders.
The purpose of this commentary is to identify the key differences between the term Habilitation and Rehabilitation. Using historical and contemporary understandings, this commentary aims to disentangle these two terms from a developmental perspective. It is argued that these two concepts are distinct and should be appropriately reflected in international literature and practice.
Sleep is crucial for development across cognitive, physical, and social-emotional domains. Sleep quality and quantity impact domains of daytime functioning, attainment, and global development. Previous work has explored sleep profiles in typically developing children and children with developmental disorders such as Down syndrome and Williams Syndrome, yet there is a complete absence of published work regarding the sleep profiles of children with vision impairment aged 4–11 years. This is the first known study that examines the sleep profiles in children with vision impairment (n = 58) in comparison to 58 typically developing children (aged 4–11 years) in the UK. Sleep was measured using the Childhood Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ; parental report), actigraphy and sleep diaries. Results showed group differences in subjective CSHQ scores but not objective actigraphy measures. Surprisingly, the findings revealed disordered sleep (namely, poor sleep quantity) in both groups. Discordance between CSHQ and actigraphy measures could represent heightened awareness of sleeping problems in parents/caregivers of children with vision impairment. The implications of this study extend beyond group comparison, examining disordered sleep in ‘typically developing’ children, exploring the potential role of light perception and the importance of sleep quality and quantity in both groups.
Dressing is a fundamental independent living skill often haphazardly acquired via visual observation. For children with vision impairment and children with Down Syndrome (where vision impairment is a component), dressing skill acquisition can be delayed due to a reduced/absent visual modality. Independent living skills is an aspect of habilitation practice and training, designed to maximise independence in children and young people with vision impairment and prepare them for adulthood. This paper, presented in two parts, first details a systematic (UK based) survey exploring fastening use across a clothing sample of birth-adult clothing (N = 12,967). Study 1 presents a frequency distribution exploring types of fastenings used on clothing items from birth-adulthood. The data are fundamental in exploring the likelihood of fastening exposure across developmental phases. Further, Study 1 details the process behind developing a novel dressing skill intervention. Informed by Study 1, Study 2 qualitatively explored the effectiveness of an original resource/group-based intervention over a 10-week period. Eighteen children were recruited for the study, namely children with vision impairment (n = 9) and children with Down Syndrome (n = 9) aged 5-11 years. Collective and illustrative case studies are presented based on emergent themes from intervention observations. The findings reveal areas for consideration by Habilitation Specialists and the multidisciplinary team surrounding children with vision impairment and/or Down Syndrome as this may inform Habilitation Plans, and Educational Health Care Plan reports. The implications of this study extend beyond dressing skill development in children with vision impairment and/or Down Syndrome and inform resource development and subsequent practice when working with children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine the potential relationship between sleep patterns, cortisol levels, and anxiety profiles in adolescents with Williams Syndrome (WS) compared to typically developing adolescents. Method: Thirteen adolescents with WS and thirteen TD adolescents (age range 12–18 years) were recruited. Participants were provided with a “testing kit”, containing instructions for collecting data through a sleep diary, MotionWare actigraphy, the Childhood Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, and a salivary cortisol collection kit. Results: Adolescents in the WS group did not show diurnal variation in salivary cortisol. Significantly higher scores were reported for two CSHQ subsections, night wakings and parasomnias, in the WS group. Regarding the actigraphy, only significantly longer sleep latency was observed in the WS group. In comparison to the TD group, the WS group had significantly higher anxiety. As expected, the TD group showed typical diurnal variation in cortisol, whereas the WS group showed a flattened cortisol profile throughout the day. Conclusions: From the developmental perspective, this study provides new data supporting the conclusion that sleep problems are not transient but continue to persist into adolescence in WS. Future studies ought to consider examining the role of cortisol and its interplay with anxiety levels and sleep problems across the lifespan in individuals with WS.
The presence of childhood vision impairment has cascading effects on educational provision and global development across cognitive, physical, and mental health domains. Effective, appropriate, and targeted support in education is legislated across the United Kingdom, influenced by the ‘access to learning, learning to access’ model. Despite reasonable adjustment and specialist provision legislature, anecdotal parental reports suggest inconsistent and insufficient provision culminating in poor physical and mental health outcomes for school-aged children and young people with vision impairment in the United Kingdom. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of provisional arrangement/specialist support from a parental viewpoint. We examined the questionnaire responses of parents/caregivers of children and young people with vision impairment to harness their views regarding provisional entitlement. An online questionnaire was developed in collaboration with parents/caregivers of children with vision impairment who identified a distinct need for research in this field. Forty-six parents/caregivers completed the questionnaire. Most parents reported their child accessing specialised provision; however, frequency of provision and qualification of staff administering provision was inconsistent. Parents reported that available provision more negatively impacted their child’s mental health, and resultingly, most parents lacked confidence in the arrangements their child received. We concluded that parental perception of provisional arrangements is seemingly influenced by the quality of the team supporting their child in educational domains. Future work triangulating parental views with that of the children receiving the support, and support staff, is needed for corroboration.
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