Visual Perception

What is Visual Perception?

Visual perception is a sensory and cognitive process that organizes perceived visual information and interprets and uses what is seen. A child who demonstrates decreased visual perceptual skills may exhibit difficulty cutting, coloring, constructing with blocks, tying shoes, doing puzzles, getting dressed, using buttons and fasteners, hesitancy going up and down stairs or curbs, and difficulty with classroom activities such as reading, spelling, handwriting, math and finding items in his desk.

While these difficulties may be indicative of decreased visual perceptual skills, there may also be other factors contributing to any of the above issues your child may present. It is important to assess your child’s visual perceptual skills in relation to other developmental skills, such as motor planning and fine motor control, in order to truly determine the origin of his difficulty.

Our Approach at North Shore Pediatric Therapy

At North Shore Pediatric Therapy, our therapists work with children with visual perceptual difficulties by using a multisensory approach. We provide your child additional sensory experiences when visual skills are decreased. Our therapists engage your child in various activities that incorporate movement, tactile, visual, and auditory sensations to enhance visual perceptual skills. In addition, our therapists are trained to alter your child’s environment and/or his activities in order to better utilize his existing visual perceptual skills, which in turn helps to improve those skills.