Dr. Catherine Smyth: Using Mealtime Routine to Support Families

The Mealtime Routines for Visual Impairment (MRVI) Intervention promotes a comprehensive approach to guide the development of appropriate routines, interactions, and skills to foster independent eating in infants and toddlers with visual impairment. This project is defining the role of and collecting valuable information from Early Intervention Visual Impairment (EI-VI) professionals who work with families to ensure the acquisition of developmental mealtime skills, healthy eating habits, and independence that supports a foundation for preschool readiness. The MRVI Intervention includes high quality professional development training, online materials and strategies to be used with caregivers in the home, and measurements that will allow for specific evaluation of family/child outcomes. Previous research indicates that young children with visual impairment may benefit from targeted skill-based interventions within these mealtime routines (Smyth, Spicer, & Morgese, 2014). Learn more about this research which seeks to create evidence- and practice-based interventions for infants and toddlers with visual impairment and to assist their families in developing reachable goals in the areas of developmental mealtime skills such as using utensils and self-feeding, eating a variety of textures and food choices, and creating positive mealtime environments.

Dr. Catherine Smyth: “What Does ‘UP’ Really Mean?”

The understanding of basic relational concepts by young children is critical to support and reinforce not only early literacy and numeracy skills, but all other areas of learning. Not only is it necessary to address the needs of young children with visual impairment to understand body awareness and categorization of objects in their environment, but they should have the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of basic relational concepts that lead to the ability to follow directions of increased complexity.  The natural environment of the home is the perfect place to begin the understanding of basic relational concepts, and families can easily learn to incorporate this content into daily routines.  This presentation will talk about the hierarchy of concept understanding and why it is important, provide some strategies to share with families of infants and toddlers with visual impairment and work toward valid assessment of this content.

Torticollis in Infants and Toddlers-Different Reasons and Different Responses

There are a number of causes of torticollis in infants and toddlers (including ocular torticollis) and a number of treatment options. Join us as we examine the types and treatments of torticollis, discuss what each EI team member brings to the conversation, and resources for further information

Frequency, Duration, Intensity, Oh My

Following initial evaluations, families depend on their team to recommend appropriate services for their child and family.   How are those recommendations of frequency, intensity, and location determined? What is the “right answer”? This session will include case reviews and discussion for factors impacting these decisions for families who have a child with vision loss.

Family Outcomes: Where Does Vision Fit Into the Plan?

Participating in IFSP development is a requirement for providers working with families. Guiding families in the development of outcome statements addressing what they want for their child is a transdisciplinary responsibility.  Each discipline and each Service Coordinator may approach their role and participation differently. This session will provide opportunity to review what is required for participating in an IFSP meeting, discussion of outcome statements which encompass vision and development,  and allow for discussion between providers.

Resource and Product Review: Hands-On Presentation

American Printing House for the Blind provides leadership and resources for families and professionals in the field. Representatives will be showcasing many new products during this hands-on presentation.  Intervention and strategies addressing young children who are visually impaired will be discussed.