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Role of vision on early motor development: lessons from the blind

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2001

Heinz FR Prechtl ,
Giovanni Cioni ,
Christa Einspieler ,
Arend F Bos  and
Fabrizio Ferrari
Heinz FR Prechtl
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, Karl Franzens University of Graz, Austria.
Giovanni Cioni
Affiliation:
INPE University of Pisa and Stella Maris Scientific Institute, Pisa, Italy.
Christa Einspieler
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, Karl Franzens University of Graz, Austria.
Arend F Bos
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Hospital, Gröningen, The Netherlands.
Fabrizio Ferrari
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Paediatrics, University Hospital, Modena, Italy.
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Abstract

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.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology , Volume 43 , Issue 3 , March 2001 , pp. 198 - 201
Copyright
© 2001 Mac Keith Press

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