The development of a visual-motor treatment programme for pre-school HIV-infected children with visual motor integration difficulties

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to add to current research on the impact of HIV on neurodevelopment in children and the nature of neurodevelopmental intervention needed to address the delay. The first phase of the study addressed the extent of visual motor integration delay in preschool children living with HIV. In the second phase of this study a visual motor treatment programme to address the delay specific to preschool children with HIV was proposed. Seventy-one children attending an HIV clinic were assessed to determine the extent of their visual motor integration delay on the Beery Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration and the supplemental tests. The children’s socioeconomic status was determined based on the Household Economic and Social Status Index II. The results revealed that visual perception was the most affected component with a moderate positive correlation to the CD4 count and CD4% of the sample. The middle to low socioeconomic status of the sample had a mediating effect on the results particularly with visual motor integration in relation to the mothers’ level of education and attendance at creche. Therefore the proposed visual motor treatment programme had a large emphasis on visual perception using visual information analysis as a means of acquiring skill. The treatment programme emphasised naming and drawing five basic shapes. Due to the scholastic nature of this intervention, the programme was developed to be used in a preschool setting, with the preschool teacher acting as a mediator to ensure skill development and generalisation of concepts learnt to everyday living. Expert review determined content validity which assisted in developing the first draft of the programme known as the ‘My Shapes Programme’.