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Children with Visual Impairments

• Recreation Matters

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• Children with visual impairments have
  significantly lower levels of habitual physical
  activity, consider themselves less fit relative
  to peers, and report more limitations for
  physical activity participation that may be
  explained by mobility and orientation issues.
• (Lieberman McHugh, 2001 Longmuir Bar-Or,
  2000).

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• Access to physical education, recreation, and
  athletic programs may be limited for individuals
  with visual impairments because of instructional,
  as well as community barriers and a general lack
  of opportunity.
• (Kozub Porretta, 1998 Lieberman,
  Wilson-Houston, Kozub, 2002).

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• Children with visual impairments show delays in
  motor development, such as poor balance and
  inefficient gait, which may be byproducts of
  sedentary behaviors during the developmental
  years.
• (Bouchard Tetrault, 2000 Horvat et al., 2003)

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Why is Recreation Involvement Crucial for a Child
with a Visual Impairment?

• Exposure/experience
• Development of play-skills
• Opportunities for peer interaction and peer
  modeling
• Developing friendships
• Increased self-esteem/self-confidence
• Increased health and wellness
• Experience trying various adapted
  equipment/programs
• Learning a new skill that may lead to a life-long
  activity
• Having fun!

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• Do I have the knowledge to provide support,
  information, and encouragement for a child with a
  visual impairment to participate in an activity
  either at school or in the community?

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What Can I do?

• Listen
• Support
• Encourage
• Find resource information
• Provide an opportunity
• Make it happen!

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Recreation Ideas

• Is it realistic?
• Is it inclusive?
• Is it a life-long skill?
• Does the child require support?
• Adapted program and/or equipment?
• Cost/Funding opportunities

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Where do I Seek Information?

• Provincial Blind Sports Associations
• Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a
  Disability (Moving to Inclusion Binders,
  www.ala.ca)
• Provincial Disabled Sports Associations
• Community Centres
• Child Development Centres
• Recreation Therapists
• Vision Consultants

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• Sport and recreation are vital parts of life
  and participation in these activities afford
  students with low vision or blindness a chance
  for freedom, independence, pride and social
  opportunities that they need.
• (Amato, 2008)

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• Christina Duncan, BHK, TRP
• Recreation Therapist
• Visual Impairment Program
• Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children
• [phone] ext8248
• cduncan_at_cw.bc.ca
• Bruce Taylor, MS, COMS
• Vision Consultant
• Visual Impairment Program
• Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children
• [phone] ext36360
• brucetaylor_at_viha.ca