Christine Nearchou
Senior Lecturer at University of Melbourne, Australia
Title: A novel test for visual cognition in school children
Biography
Biography: Christine Nearchou
Abstract
Background: Early detection of visual deficits in children can lessen the impact of learning difficulties in the classroom. The aim of this study is to investigate a novel dot pattern task as a potential tool for school visual cognition screening programs.
Methods: This study was carried out among typically developing school children aged 5 to 12 years. Children with vision 6/9 or better without ocular comorbidities were included as a part of vision screening program. The visual cognition tests Novel Dot Pattern ‘A’ (NDPA), the Wold Visuo Motor Test (WVMT) and the Rosner Test for Visual Analysis Skills (TVAS) were administered in all subjects. Descriptive statistics, normative data and percentiles (median and IQR) and interclass correlation coefficient were computed.
Results: A total of 274 children were included of which 142 were females. The mean (SD) age was 8.57 (2.28) years. The median (IQR) of the NPDA was 5 (2) and TVPS was 10 (2). The mean R (95% CI) interclass correlation coefficient was 0.839 (0.602,0.941) for the TVAS and 0.885 (0.604,0.963) for the NDPA in the repeatability test.
Conclusions: The normative data and percentile scores of the three tests show a developmental trend in visual cognition. Therefore, NDPA can be used as a simple screening tool to screen for visual cognition deficits in children.