Back to birthday parties

With the return to in person school following a year of remote learning, the birthday party invitation came early. The real and true measure of any and all social skills goals in the IEP should be, “By June, having received all appropriate supports in place all year long, the student with CVI will be invited to X number of birthday parties.” Believe me, there is nothing so gut wrenching as attempting to explain to your child why he was not invited to the party. Here we are in November, at the first birthday party invite, for my son with CVI. Continue reading “Back to birthday parties”

CVI birthday characteristics

IMG_7898When you are planning a birthday party for your child with cortical visual impairment (CVI), it is hard not to think about the ten characteristics (Roman). How many people to invite? What color cake? Where to have the party, someplace familiar, like home, or someplace new? Let’s take a look at the CVI characteristics in light of birthdays. Continue reading “CVI birthday characteristics”

Birthday party

Birthday party
Birthday party

Going to birthday parties is a childhood rite of passage. When you have a kid with cortical visual impairment (CVI), invitations bring a mix of anticipation and dread. Anticipation because you want your child to be included in the first place – just like all the other kids. And dread because celebrations, events, gatherings, parties are a delicate balance for kids with CVI. Birthday parties can involve some of the most challenging characteristics of cortical visual impairment – a party in a new environment (novelty), lots of kids (complexity, difficulty with faces, complexity of array), and energetic little bodies (latency, movement). Add the sounds of a bunch of excited kids and you have one Complex sensory environment. (Roman-Lantzy) Birthdays are a perfect storm for a CVI meltdown. Continue reading “Birthday party”