Touch and Movement

Massage, Motor Skills, and Sensory Integration for Children with Visual Impairments or Blindness

In this section, families can explore the importance of touch in bonding and communicating with a baby who is blind or visually impaired. Touch and movement are integral to development of fine and gross motor skills, encouraging young children to reach out and to actively explore the world arofund them!

Below is a list of topics you'll find in this section. Click on a title to jump to a specific topic.

Infant Massage and Touch

Infant Massage and the Benefits for Children with Blindness or Visual Impairment, Council for Exceptional Children, DVIQ
Prof. Grace Lappin describes how infant massage can provide another way for the caregiver and child to interact, establish contact and communication, and develop a deep bond. (Microsoft Word Document)

Touch from The Deafblind Disabled Baby, National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness
This chapter is part of a comprehensive program of care for parents of the deafblind baby with multiple disabilities by Peggy Freeman.  She discusses the stages of touch and offers suggestions for activities at each level. (Microsoft Word Document)

Research: Infant Massage

Applying Infant Massage Practices: A Qualitative Study, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness
This study explores the dynamic interaction between a mother and her 11-month-old visually impaired infant before and after the mother was taught infant massage. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Infant Massage: Facilitating Positive Change in Dyadic Interactions, International Council on Education for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
Dr. Grace Lappin's studies suggest that massage may strengthen parental bonds and be a great developmental stimulant for infants with blindness, although there is a need for longitudinal studies to confirm this. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Movement and Gross Motor Skills

Get That Baby Moving! Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired
This powerpoint presentation by Kay Ratzlaff examines the relationship between vision and movement and includes activities to encourage children with a visual impairment to develop their motor skills. (requires Microsoft PowerPoint)

 Organizations and Resources to Explore: Movement

Movement & Development, Blind Children's Resource Center
The information in this section of the BCRC site is designed to help parents encourage movement in their young children who are blind. 

Tactile and Fine Motor Skills

Touch, Project SPARKLE
Project SPARKLE lists some of the features of touch which make it a crucial sense to children who are deafblind; includes resources and a glossary.

Research: Tactile and Fine Motor Skills

Divergent Development of Manual Skills in Children Who Are Blind or Sighted, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness
This study compares the average age of acquisition of 32 fine motor skills by sighted children with the age of their acquisition by four children with congenital blindness.

Organizations and Resources to Explore: Tactile and Fine Motor Skills

Project SALUTE, (Successful Adaptations for Learning to Use Touch Effectively)
This website is intended as a resource on tactile learning strategies for working with children who are deaf-blind or who are blind with additional disabilities.

Sensory Integration

Sensory Integration Dysfunction in Deafblind Children, Deafblind International
Gail Deuce explores the development of the proprioceptive, kinesthetic and vestibular senses in deafblind children and…consider(s) the possible impact on learning for the child experiencing difficulties in these areas. Three case studies are included.

Sensory Integration: Current Concepts & Practical Implications, Neurolearning.com
In this 5-page article, neurologist Dr. Fernette Eide explains the biology of sensory integration dysfunction and the role of occupational therapy in its treatment. (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

About SPD, Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation
This overview of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) includes information about sensory-avoiding children and sensory-seeking children, as well a list of common motor skill problems. There are numerous links to other aspects of SPD on this site.

Home Activities for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation
Heather Miller-Kuhaneck gives specific suggestions for incorporating sensory input into daily activities and offers general guidelines for the home.

Organizations and Resources to Explore: Sensory Integration

Bridges4Kids
This site includes extensive information about sensory integration dysfunction, with sections focusing on education, classroom accommodations, and additional resources.

Sensory Integration, Come Unity
This site offers links to numerous articles, including "Preemies and Sensory Integration", "Adoption and Sensory Integration", and more.