How Does ‘Visual Noise’ Impact Learning and Play?
Vision plays a crucial role in a child's ability to learn, and visual difficulties can impact their academic performance and overall development. These visual difficulties can be exacerbated by other factors such as eye muscle weakness, poor lighting, or distractions in the environment. To address these issues, it is essential for teachers and parents to identify and accommodate these visual difficulties early on, providing accommodations such as text magnification, preferential seating, and frequent breaks to help children with visual impairments succeed. By recognizing the impact of vision on learning and providing necessary support, we can help children with visual difficulties overcome their challenges and reach their full potential.
Some examples of vision difficulties are:
Convergence/Divergence: convergence where the eyes work together to focus on close objects. And divergence is the opposite, where the eyes focus on distant objects. Issues with either of these may make near or far-point copying difficult. The child may skip letters or complain of blurry vision at near or far range.
Nystagmus: a condition where the eyes move involuntarily, may struggle to maintain eye contact and focus on visual stimuli. This can impact depth perception, balance, and coordination.
Figure-Ground: is the brain’s ability to simplify the environment and determine what the ‘important’ part of the environment is. Who is the teacher? Where is my chair? It helps us see an object in a busy background.
Visual-Motor: To put it simply, this is the brain’s ability to see an image, and recreate it. So, there are a lot of skills put together. Can the brain perceive that the letter is an ‘A’ or the shape is a circle? Does the child have the coordination to make those lines accurately to what the brain has perceived? This also comes into play with coordination. The brain sees the moving ball, and responds with the motor command to catch it.
If these problems are present, what can we as parents, clinicians, teachers, etc. do to help our littles ones learn and thrive? Reduce visual noise!
Visual noise and clutter can significantly impact a child's ability to learn and focus at home and at school. Visual noise refers to the overwhelming amount of visual stimuli in the environment, such as bright colors, busy patterns, and excessive decorations. This can be particularly challenging for children who are already sensitive to visual stimuli or have visual processing difficulties. When a child is exposed to too much visual noise, their brain can become overwhelmed, leading to difficulties in attending, concentrating, and processing information. This can result in frustration, outbursts, anxiety, decreased attention, and decreased motivation to learn.
Organized environments can help over-stimulated children regulate by reducing the amount of stimuli they need to process. A clutter-free and calm environment can provide a sense of safety and stability, allowing children to focus on the task at hand. At home, this can be achieved by creating a designated study area with minimal distractions, such as a quiet corner or a desk with a calm background. Similarly, at school, teachers can create a structured learning environment by using visual aids and decorations that are simple and not overwhelming. By reducing visual noise and clutter, children can better regulate their sensory systems and focus on the learning process, leading to improved academic performance and overall well-being. Additionally, organized environments can also help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other neurodevelopmental disorders to better manage their symptoms and stay on task.
In preschoolers, visual processing red flags can be subtle and may not always be immediately apparent. However, some common visual processing difficulties in preschoolers that can be considered red flags include:
Difficulty following moving objects or people: Preschoolers may have trouble tracking objects or people that are moving quickly, which can be a sign of visual processing difficulties.
Blurred or unclear vision: If a preschooler is having trouble seeing objects or letters clearly, it may be a sign of refractive error or other visual processing issues.
Difficulty with visual-motor skills: Preschoolers who struggle with activities that require fine motor skills, such as drawing, coloring, or using scissors.
Slow or hesitant response to visual stimuli: Preschoolers who are slow to respond to visual cues, such as following a pointing finger or recognizing familiar objects.
Difficulty with eye-hand coordination: Preschoolers who struggle with activities that require coordination between their eyes and hands, such as tossing a ball or catching a toy
Inattention to visual details: Preschoolers who are not paying attention to details in their environment, such as missing small objects or failing to notice changes in their surroundings
Difficulty with depth perception: Preschoolers who have trouble judging distances or understanding how objects relate to each other in space
Difficulty with visual attention: Preschoolers who have trouble focusing on specific objects or areas of interest, or who have trouble ignoring distractions
Head tilting or leaning: Preschoolers who frequently tilt or lean their head to one side may be experiencing difficulties with binocular vision or eye alignment.
Eye rubbing or covering: Preschoolers who frequently rub or cover their eyes may be experiencing discomfort or difficulty with their vision.
If you notice any of these red flags in a preschooler, it is essential to consult with an eye care professional to rule out any underlying visual processing issues that may be impacting their learning and development. After assessing visual acuity and refractive errors, an occupational therapy referral may be right for you and your family!
Check out these recommendations for visual processing and reduced visual clutter here!
