This important national study is being led by Great Ormond Street Hospital Developmental Vision team (Dr. Naomi Dale and Dr. Alison Salt). This is the first national study to investigate early development and support in babies and young children with visual impairment.
The aim of this research study is to learn more about the early development of babies and young children with visual impairment and also how early intervention and care might influence this early development. We hope that the results of the study will allow us to provide new insights and understanding into early childhood development and visual impairment and which methods best facilitate early developmental progress.
This is a one year longitudinal study with a two year follow up. We will be meeting the child and family on three occasions (at the start, one year later and two years later).
This is a national study and we need to recruit at least one hundred babies in the first year. We hope to recruit as many interested families as possible.
It will be recruiting infants with profound visual impairment aged from 0 to 15 months (excluding children with additional severe motor or hearing impairments). We are happy to hear of families from anywhere round the United Kingdom and can provide home visits if the family lives at distance from us.
