Playing With A Purpose

This isn’t just any playtime, this is a learning experience! Justice, who has an eye condition called cortical visual impairment (CVI), is working with Region 10 O&M Specialist Micha Seely to improve the connection between her healthy eye and her brain through play!

Through playing with light up toys contrasted against a black blanket, Micha is encouraging Justice to use her vision purposefully as the contrast isolates the item she wants Justice to visually attend to. By placing the toy away from Justice’s immediate reach, Micha is encouraging Justice to move purposefully.

“When Justice was evaluated for vision services her eye report indicated she had no vision, however we noticed she would blankly gaze towards a lighted window, which indicated there was vision,” shares Micha. “She had little head control, could not sit, reach for and maintain a grasp on an item, she also wouldn’t turn towards sound sources. She did love to kick her feet when held in a supported stand, which she still likes to do.”

The overall goal for Justice is to increase visual efficiency (looking at items lighted & non-lighted, maintaining periods of fixation) and purposeful movement such as reaching for or attempting to crawl towards the toy while also trying to build concepts; a few being object permanence, cause/effect, in/out, and on/off.

Thanks to the support of her family, along with the help of Region 10 and Forney ISD, Justice has made remarkable progress towards these goals in just over a year!