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Role of vision on early motor development: lessons from the blind
Author(s) -
Prechtl Heinz FR,
Cioni Giovanni,
Einspieler Christa,
Bos Arend F,
Ferrari Fabrizio
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2001.tb00187.x
Subject(s) - proprioception , vestibular system , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychology , sensory system , blindness , audiology , motor control , impaired vision , motor coordination , movement control , medicine , neuroscience , ophthalmology , optometry
For a better understanding of the contribution vision makes to the development of other sensory systems and to movement and posture, we studied effects of early blindness by examining video recordings of 14 totally blind infants. Infants were born at term or preterm and showed no evidence of brain damage. During preterm and term periods no noticeable changes in motor activity were observed. Around 2 months postterm all infants showed clear delay in head control and abnormal, exaggerated type of ‘fidgety movements’. Later, postural control was characterized by a prolonged period of ataxic features. Results indicate a lack of normal calibration exerted by vision on proprioceptive and vestibular systems. Early visuomotor coordination such as coordinated eye‐head scanning and head orientating were present but disappeared after several weeks.