A longitudinal study of development in language, cognition, social adaptation, and exploratory behaviour of toddlers with vision impairment

Research on children with vision impairment (VI) has primarily focused on comparing their development to that of sighted peers, offering limited insights into their individual developmental trajectories. To enhance early intervention, understanding these individual pathways is crucial. This study examined the developmental trajectories of 24 toddlers aged 8 and 38 months (M = 19.96, SD = 8.06) with VI in four key domains: language, cognition, social adaptation, and exploratory behaviour. Over 2 years, participants were assessed during home visits using the Reynell Zinkin Scales. Individual plots and linear mixed effect models revealed individual developmental trajectories, with most children showing progress in social adaptation and exploratory behaviour before language and cognition. No significant differences in developmental growth were found between children with moderate VI or severe VI. This longitudinal investigation emphasizes diversity within the population of children with VI suggesting that factors beyond VI itself should be considered when addressing developmental differences.