Distance support and online intervention to blind and visually impaired children during the pandemic COVID-19.
Tiziana Battistin, Elena Mercuriali, Vincenzo Zanardo and 4 others
PMID 33271446WHAT IT FOUND
During lockdown, blind and visually impaired children received online therapy at home.
Parents rated the support highly, with median satisfaction scores of 9/10. Professionals also found it useful but rated it lower than parents, citing difficulty adapting face-to-face methods to a screen.
Key findings
01Parents reported high satisfaction with the distance support, with a median score of 9 out of 10 on a visual analogue scale.
02Professionals rated the intervention significantly lower than parents across most questions, particularly regarding the adequacy of the contact modality and the child's progress.
03The distance support involved customized home-based activities, such as multisensory toys and cooking groups, supervised by parents and guided by professionals via video calls.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This was a pilot with no control group, so it is impossible to know if the children did better, worse, or the same as they would have with traditional in-person therapy. The study relied on satisfaction surveys, not objective measures of developmental change. Professionals reported significant discomfort and difficulty adapting their practice to online methods, which may have affected the quality of care. The study took place in a specific non-profit context in Italy, which may not generalize to other healthcare systems.
Declared interests
The authors report no declarations of interest. The study received no specific funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high parent satisfaction as evidence that online therapy is as effective as in-person therapy for blind children. The study did not compare outcomes against a control group, and professionals rated the online approach lower than parents, noting difficulties with assessment and relationship building.