Interventions for children with cerebral visual impairment: A scoping review

Aim: To examine the nature and scope of the literature on interventions implemented for children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI).

Method: Using a scoping review methodology, a systematic search of the literature was conducted using four databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase. Titles and abstracts were screened and data were extracted and synthesized from full-text, eligible studies. Twenty-three articles were identified and evaluated using quality criteria.

Results: Twenty-three of the 895 studies were included with children aged between 1 month and 17 years 6 months. Interventions were grouped into six categories including visual stimulation, task/environmental adaptations, vision training, acupuncture, stem cell transplantation, and transcranial electric stimulation. Outcome measures examined changes in visual function, functional vision, and visual processing.

Interpretation: Intervention research for children with CVI is in its infancy. Interventions for children with CVI may be beneficial; however, comparing results is difficult due to inconsistency in outcome measures. Most of the intervention studies had lower-level evidence and included small sample sizes. High-quality studies with larger samples and comparison groups are needed to fully understand which evidence-based interventions are most effective for children with CVI. With the incidence of CVI increasing, further development and validation of intervention methods is imperative.

What this paper adds: Intervention studies for children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI) are sparse. Most intervention studies for children with CVI have low-level evidence with low critical appraisal scores. High-quality, controlled intervention studies are needed to guide families and clinicians toward evidence-based practice.