Can anyone suggest possible interactive games for a cortically visually impaired child with emerging single word comprehension but very poor motor control
Thank you
Are you able to give a bit more information about the age of the child, whether they have a reliable way of indicating like / dislike? or a yes/no response? It would also be good to know more about their sensory needs - what level of tactile / hand over hand support they’ll tolerate. Do they have up-to date OT & SLT or physio assessments That would be a good place to start.
Are you aiming for anything in particular with the games? Having a goal in mind would be helpful in selecting the most appropriate activities.
Sorry if I’ve asked questions instead of answering them. This isn’t really my area of expertise, though there are some commonalities across the SLT field. I think it sounds like you could do with a full MDT assessment. Are you in touch with (or part of) your local community team?
Best wishes
Without the benefit of additional information, as identified by Alex, I would suggest shared play using items that make a noise.
If I child with similar needs came to music therapy with me, I would hang up a small selection of instruments around them - e.g. left, right and in front. I recommend finding exciting, rewarding sounds, like windchimes or ethnic nut clusters - items than respond well to being pushed or nudged with any part of the hand, arm or even a foot if that moves more reliably. I would always hang them in the same sequence to start with, so the child had the opportunity to learn where they are. Later you might introduce different sounds, or build in surprises for the child to find. Children are programmed to explore their environment, and we need to make it interesting enough that they carry on wanting to explore it!
Then it is down to you to play along: - to be excited by their sounds and to interact back. Depending on the child’s understanding, you can build in suspense, turn-taking, or make a song where the instrument sounds can be built into the structure, creating anticipation - e.g the structure of ‘If you’re happy and you know it’ - just as you would with any child at this developmental stage.
If you can create a big enough play space, you can also use a ball with a bell or other consistent sound in it to develop tracking skills. You can roll the ball back and forth between you (a sweep of the arm is as good as anything for this) again as you would with any young child, but at the same time supporting the child to learn to find objects by ear and to practice motor control.
In my experience the simple items and a lot of enthusiasm are much more long-lasting than complex electronic devices. Though you could use large flat switches, or an electric keyboard to generate electronic sounds.
For solo play and exploration, you could leave the child to experiment with the sounds themselves if they enjoy it. If items are hanging safely within reach, they won’t roll away and the child can reach and play and experiment.
Adapting the sort of games you would play with any other child will take you a long way. Once you’ve done one or two, you may find that other ideas come to mind. Good luck!