Visual Perception Skill in Children
-Sight is a complex sensory system that allows us to identify images, sense what’s “coming toward us,” and prepare to react. By using this sense, we can both protect ourselves and direct our actions. In this way, we can respond meaningfully to our environment, socialize and learn. Visual perception is the brain’s ability to interpret, analyze and understand what is seen. Visual Perception is a complex process in which a large number of brain structures are active, using the lower stages of vision starting in the eye. At Bursa Albatros, we evaluate visual perception skills and create personalized intervention programs in areas where the individual needs to be supported.
Why is visual perception important?
Visual perception skills are important for many everyday skills, such as reading, writing, completing puzzles, cutting, drawing, completing math problems, getting dressed, finding your socks in a cluttered drawer. A child who has difficulty in performing these daily tasks independently may suffer from self-confidence, decline in academic performance, and affect play skills.
Sub-Components of Visual Perception Skill
visual distinction; Classification of an object or shape by color, form, pattern, size, or location. For reading and writing activities in daily life, visual distinction is very important to see letters or differences in words. Difficulties in this area cause “b” to look like “d”.
Visual memory; It is the ability to remember objects, shapes, symbols, movements or a sequence of movements. Visual memory is important for reading comprehension. The child must remember what he has read and when he moves from one page to the next he recognizes a word he has read before. Difficulties with this skill can make copying from the board or book much more difficult at school.
positioning in space; Regarding letters, objects or shapes, it is about understanding the concepts of direction language and establishing the relationship of position.
Figure-ground relationship; It is the ability to find an object or shape in a complex background that contains a lot of visual information. For example, asking a child to find blue paint in a pencil case. To search for the blue crayon, it must be able to filter all other crayons.
shape constancy; It is the ability to know that a form or shape is the same even if it has been rotated, reduced/enlarged or looked closely or very closely.
visual completion; It is the ability to recognize the whole picture or object even when part of it is not present. Visual completion is important for quickly reading and understanding what we see. It means that the child who has difficulty with this skill must carefully study a word or sentence.
Visual sequential memory; It is the ability to remember a sequence of objects or forms in the correct order. Some children may know the letters in a word but may not be able to remember their order correctly.
Visual engine integration; It is the ability to understand visual information and then properly perform a motor skill such as writing. In daily life, it is important for the child to be able to complete the writing on the board in a timely manner. When there is difficulty in visual motor integration, situations such as poor understanding of handwriting may occur.
How to Tell if My Child Has Problems with Visual Perception Skills?
If a child has problems with visual perception skills, they may have difficulties in the following areas:
doing jigsaw puzzles,
Planning actions related to the objects around them,
To learn spatial concepts such as “in front of, outside, open, below, next to, up, down”,
Miswriting or mixing the letters “b, d, p, q”,
Do not reverse numbers or letters while typing.
Following the line following while reading or writing,
Understanding and remembering the concept of left and right,
Not knowing where to start
Correct ordering of letters in words, numbers in problems,
In remembering the alphabet in order,
Copying from one place to another (for example, from the board, from the book, from one side of the paper to the other),
Dressing (appropriate shoes or socks),
In distinguishing the sizes of letters and objects,
When completing the missing drawings or templates,
Focusing in an environment rich in visual stimulus,
Classification and organization of personal belongings (eg at work may appear disorganized or careless).
Finding a particular item in a picture with mixed shapes or on a cluttered table.
What other problems can arise when a child has difficulties with visual perception?
Academic performance: They have difficulty completing their academic tasks.
Attention and concentration: They exert too much effort even when doing activities that are not distracting, and they have trouble maintaining that effort.
Self-regulation: They have difficulty obtaining, maintaining, and changing the level of social, emotion, behavior, and attention appropriate to a task or situation.
Behavior: They may avoid or refuse to participate in activities that require visual perception skills.
Avoidance: They may prefer others to do their part for them rather than doing it themselves (for example, “Daddy, draw me a house.”).
Organization: They may have trouble keeping track of and organizing their belongings.
If left untreated, what can difficulties in visual perception lead to?
When children have difficulties with visual perception, they may also have difficulties with:
In various situations, anxiety and stress lead to difficulties in reaching their academic potential.
Difficulties completing busy worksheets or following visual instructions.
Difficulty accessing curriculum because unable to participate in appropriate visual information.
Difficulty independently managing dressing and other self-care tasks.
Difficulty completing exams due to difficulty blocking unimportant visual information.
Poor self-confidence when a child compares their abilities with their peers.
Poor handwriting skills.
What type of treatment is recommended for visual perception difficulties?
If your child has difficulties with visual perception, it is recommended to consult an Occupational Therapist.