Naomi Jane Dale - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Naomi Jane Dale

Research in Developmental Disabilities, Feb 1, 2019

Background: Adaptive behaviours are vital skills that allow individuals to function independently... more Background: Adaptive behaviours are vital skills that allow individuals to function independently and are potentially amenable to behavioural interventions. Previous research indicated that adaptive behaviours are reduced in children and adolescents with severe to profound VI, but it was unclear if this was also the case for children with mild to moderate VI. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess differences in adaptive behaviour in children with congenital visual disorders and different levels of visual impairment and their influence on quality of life and everyday strengths and difficulties. Methods and Procedures: Questionnaires about adaptive behaviour, strengths and difficulties, and quality of life were completed by parents of school-age children with severe-to-profound VI (S/PVI, n=9, 0.9 logMARlight perception only), mild-to-moderate VI (MVI, n=9, 0.1-0.7 logMAR), or typical sight (control, n=18,-0.3-0.1 logMAR). Differences in questionnaire domains by the severity of VI and relationships between adaptive behaviour and quality of life were analysed in general linear models. Outcomes and Results: The questionnaire ratings indicated reduced adaptive behaviour, more difficulties, and reduced quality of life in children with S/PVI compared to typically-sighted peers. Effects were smaller for children with MVI, but indicated a significant reduction in quality of life compared to typically-sighted children. The effect of visual impairment on quality of life in school was partially mediated by adaptive behaviour. Conclusion and Implication: Severe congenital visual impairment affects adaptive behaviour in children with verbal abilities in the typical range. This effect is less pronounced in children with mild-to-moderate VI, but still impacts on quality of life, particularly in school.

38th Meeting of the British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Nov 1, 2010

Methods: We studied six children with sleep disturbance associated with SOD (characteristics in t... more Methods: We studied six children with sleep disturbance associated with SOD (characteristics in table below), all of whom were on adequate hormonal replacement at the time of investigation. All children wore an actiwatch-mini for two weeks and were admitted to ...

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Dec 17, 2010

Available observational tools used in the identification of social communication difficulties and... more Available observational tools used in the identification of social communication difficulties and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rely partly on visual behaviours and therefore may not be valid in children with visual impairment. A pilot observational instrument, the Visual Impairment and Social Communication Schedule (VISS), was developed to aid in identifying social communication difficulties and ASD in young children with visual impairment affected by congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system (disorders of the globe, retina, and anterior optic nerve). The VISS was administered to 23 consecutive children (age range 1y 9mo-6y 11mo, mean 4y 1mo [SD 1.6]; 12 males, 11 females) with visual impairment (nine with severe and 14 with profound visual impairment). Item analysis was carried out by fit of the items to the Rasch model. Validity of the VISS was explored by comparison with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score, and the clinical ASD diagnosis (n=9). Correlation between the VISS and CARS total scores was highly significant (Spearman's rho=)0.89; p=0.01). Below threshold rating on the VISS (score of 35) showed good agreement with the clinical ASD diagnosis (sensitivity 89%, specificity 100%). This preliminary study shows the VISS to be a promising schedule to aid the identification of ASD in young children with visual impairment.

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Apr 25, 2017

To investigate how vision relates to early development by studying vision and cognition in a nati... more To investigate how vision relates to early development by studying vision and cognition in a national cohort of one year old infants with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system (CDPVS) and visual impairment (VI). Method Cross sectional observational investigation of a nationally recruited cohort of infants with 'simple' and 'complex' CDPVS, entry age 8-16 months. Vision level (Near Detection Scale-NDS) and nonverbal cognition (Sensorimotor Understanding (SMU), Reynell Zinkin Scales) were assessed. Parents completed demographic questionnaires. Results 90 infants, mean age 13 months; 25 (28%) with profound VI (light perception at best) and 65 (72%) with severe VI (basic 'form' vision). NDS correlated significantly with SMU DQs in the 'total', 'simple' and 'complex' groups (all p<0.001). Age and vision accounted for 48% of SMU variance. Infants with profound VI, especially in 'complex' CDPVS with known brain involvement, showed the greatest cognitive delay. Interpretation Lack of vision is associated with delayed early object manipulative abilities and concepts; 'form' vision appeared to support early developmental advance. This paper provides baseline characteristics for cross sectional and longitudinal follow up investigations in progress. A methodological strength of the study was the representativeness of the cohort according to national epidemiological and population census data.

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Nov 13, 2018

To investigate the effects of home-based early intervention in children with severe visual impair... more To investigate the effects of home-based early intervention in children with severe visual impairment using the Developmental Journal for babies and young children with visual impairment (DJVI). METHOD A longitudinal observational study was undertaken with a national cohort (OPTIMUM) of infants with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system (CDPVS) and profound-severe visual impairment; and followed up after 12 months and 24 months. Intervention was categorized according to the practitioner diary records of their usual practice over 12 months from baseline comparing those receiving the DJVI and those receiving 'Other Support'. Outcome measures of cognition and language, behaviour difficulties, parenting stress, and satisfaction with parent-practitioner partnership were collected. RESULTS In the 54 children (26 males, 28 females, baseline mean age 13.5mo, SD 2.3mo, range 8-17mo) with 'total' CDPVS (including 16 'complex' and 38 'simple' with or without known brain disorder respectively), linear mixed effects pointed towards acceleration in sensorimotor understanding and expressive language especially in the 'simple' subsample (11.72 developmental quotient, 95% confidence interval À1.17 to 24.61, p>0.05) in those receiving the DJVI. Vision level also predicted outcomes (p<0.05). The DJVI group showed improvements in behavioural withdrawal (g 2 =0.20, p=0.02, 'simple') and parenting stress (d=0.78, d=0.92, p=0.02 total and 'simple' respectively) and perceived practitioner-parent relationship (g 2 =0.16, p=0.01).

Wiley-Blackwell eBooks, 2010

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Apr 1, 2020

ABBREVIATIONS CDPVS Congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system cpd Cycles per degree KA... more ABBREVIATIONS CDPVS Congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system cpd Cycles per degree KAC Keeler Acuity Cards NDS Near Detection Scale PVI Profound visual impairment SVI Severe visual impairment AIM To investigate detection vision development in infants and toddlers with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system (CDPVS) and severe to profound visual impairment (SVI/PVI). METHOD This was a longitudinal observational investigation of a cohort of infants with CDPVS (entry age 8-16mo) followed up 12 months later. Detection vision (Near Detection Scale [NDS]) and resolution acuity (Keeler Acuity Cards [KAC]) were assessed at each time point. Relationships between detection vision, resolution acuity, and age were investigated. RESULTS The study cohort comprised 80 children (39 females, 41 males), mean age 13 months (Time 1) and 26 months (Time 2); 22 (27.5%) with PVI (light perception at best) and 58 (72.5%) with SVI (basic 'form' vision) at Time 1. All children achieved a measure with the NDS, however only 35 per cent and 56 per cent at Time 1 and Time 2 respectively did so on KAC. Those with PVI at Time 1 showed no further improvement at Time 2, but 87 per cent of children with SVI showed improvement in vision. The median change in NDS score was 1.0 (range 1-7, SD 1.68). INTERPRETATION Vision development continues after 12 months of age in many toddlers if they have basic 'form' vision. A measure of detection vision is feasible in very young children when resolution acuity measurement is not achievable.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Aug 18, 2020

Background: This study investigated mother-infant interactions, including maternal maintaining of... more Background: This study investigated mother-infant interactions, including maternal maintaining of infant attentional focus and sensitivity, with infants with congenital severe and profound visual impairment (VI) and the association with developmental trajectories from one to three years. Method: Fifty-five infants and mothers were video-recorded playing together with a standard set of toys at Time 1 (T1) mean age 12.95 months (8.13-17.05 months). Maintain was categorized as the mother following and maintaining the child's focus, and Sensitivity, the mother's responsiveness and contingency to infant behaviour. Vision level was measured using the Near Detection Scale. Cognition and language were measured at T1, 12 months later (T2) and 24 months later (T3) using the Reynell-Zinkin Scales. Results: Cross-sectional analyses showed that mothers of infants with severe VI (basic form vision) produced higher rates of Maintain compared to those with children with profound VI (light perception at best). Linear mixed-effects models examining developmental progression from T1 to T3 (controlling for vision level) showed an average increase of 5 DQ points (CI 95%: 1.03-9.08) in verbal comprehension for higher Sensitivity. No significant findings were found for Maintain. Conclusions: The findings suggest that mother-infant interactions (maternal Maintain) are associated with level of vision at infancy, but only maternal Sensitivity has a long-term positive association with advances in verbal comprehension from infancy to about three years. They highlight the need for incorporating strategies related to parent-infant interactions, including increased sensitivity, into early intervention for children with visual impairment.

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Aug 8, 2019

ABBREVIATIONS CDPVS Congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system FSL FMRIB Software Libra... more ABBREVIATIONS CDPVS Congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system FSL FMRIB Software Library MVI Mild-to-moderate visual impairment PCC Posterior corpus callosum ROI Region of interest SVI Severe visual impairment TSC Typically sighted comparison AIM To examine if congenital visual impairment is associated with differences in brain anatomy in children. METHOD Ten children (8-12y) with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system with severe visual impairment (SVI; >0.8 logMAR) or mild-to-moderate visual impairment (MVI; 0.6-0.8 logMAR) were compared to 21 typically sighted comparison (TSC) children. Thalamus volume, grey matter density, white matter microstructure, and integrity of visual tracts were investigated in SVI, MVI, and TSC groups with anatomical and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Compared to the TSC group, the SVI group had lower white matter integrity in tracts of the visual system (optic radiations: SVI 0.35AE0.015, TSC 0.39AE0.007 [p=0.022]; posterior corpus callosum: SVI 0.37AE0.019; TSC 0.42AE0.009 [p=0.033]) and lower left thalamus volume (SVI 4.37AE0.087; TSC 4.99AE0.339 [p=0.015]). Neuroanatomical differences were greater in the SVI group, while no consistent differences between the MVI and TSC group were observed. INTERPRETATION Posterior tracts of the visual system are compromised in children with congenital visual impairment versus those who are typically sighted. The severity of visual input appears to have affected neuroanatomical development as significant reductions were only found in the SVI group.

British Journal of Visual Impairment, May 1, 2008

This article explores how visual impairment might impact on early social and emotional developmen... more This article explores how visual impairment might impact on early social and emotional development including self-awareness and communication with others. Some children show a 'developmental setback' and other worrying developmental trajectories in the early years, including autistic related behaviours and autistic spectrum disorders. Research is beginning to reveal the risk factors and most vulnerable processes in the early years, including in social communication, joint attention and joint referencing. The new Developmental Journal for Visually Impaired Babies and Children draws on the research to date and provides a new framework for early intervention and habilitation.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2020

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2020

AimTo investigate detection vision development in infants and toddlers with congenital disorders ... more AimTo investigate detection vision development in infants and toddlers with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system (CDPVS) and severe to profound visual impairment (SVI/PVI).MethodThis was a longitudinal observational investigation of a cohort of infants with CDPVS (entry age 8–16mo) followed up 12 months later. Detection vision (Near Detection Scale [NDS]) and resolution acuity (Keeler Acuity Cards [KAC]) were assessed at each time point. Relationships between detection vision, resolution acuity, and age were investigated.ResultsThe study cohort comprised 80 children (39 females, 41 males), mean age 13 months (Time 1) and 26 months (Time 2); 22 (27.5%) with PVI (light perception at best) and 58 (72.5%) with SVI (basic ‘form’ vision) at Time 1. All children achieved a measure with the NDS, however only 35 per cent and 56 per cent at Time 1 and Time 2 respectively did so on KAC. Those with PVI at Time 1 showed no further improvement at Time 2, but 87 per cent of childre...

Developmental medicine and child neurology, Jan 25, 2017

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2015

Congenital visual impairment has been found to impact on social function in childhood with high p... more Congenital visual impairment has been found to impact on social function in childhood with high prevalence of behavioural characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorders in typically sighted children and delays in the development of socio-cognitive skills (Mukkades et al. 2007). Differences in early experience influence the integration of areas within the social brain network (Johnson et al. 2005). The current investigation aimed to compare electrophysiological responses to basic auditory social stimuli that signal communicative intent between children with visual impairment (VI) and typically sighted controls. The results indicated differences between the groups in the neural substrates recruited during later processing stages. Source-level analysis suggested higher activation within the right supramarginal and right middle frontal gyrus - areas implicated in empathy and attentional control.