Visual assessment in delayed development and cerebral palsy children in tertiary care center

Aim: To assess vision in children with delayed development or cerebral palsy attending OPD at tertiary care hospital, for early assessment and accurate detection of visual disorder, which in turn helps their rehabilitation, locomotor and cognitive functions. Materials and Methods: Total of 24 (18 males and 6 females) children with delayed development and 12 (6 males and 6 females) with cerebral palsy were examined. Central steady maintenance method (CSM) was used for visual assessment as children were not co-operative for Teller's acuity card. Thorough examination was done in children including dilated refraction & fundus examination. Clinical findings like nystagmus, squint, roving eye movements were noted and photographed. Selected children were given glasses and few were advised visual stimulation exercises. Results: Out of 36 children, about 24 were males and 12 were females. It was noted that about 16% in developmental delay children and about 17% in cerebral palsy children had abnormal birth history Among 24 children with developmental delay, 16% had squint,12.5% had horizontal nystagmus, among 12 children with cerebral palsy, 66% had fundus abnormalities, 50% had squint,16% had horizontal nystagmus, Central steady maintenance was good in 8% of developmental delayed children and 15% of cerebral palsy children. Conclusion: Above study showed that visual assessment in children with delayed development and cerebral Palsy provided relevant information for creating a rehabilitation program aimed at the individual as a whole. Visual impairment plays key role in locomotor and cognitive performance in CP and visual exploration seems to be crucial in rehabilitation of affected children, contributing to their motor improvement and to a better visual prognosis.