Cortical Visual Impairment with The Red Balloon Foundation
(https://www.theredballoonfoundation.org.za)
June 21, 2024
Christine Roman Lantzy, Ph.D.
Director, Pediatric VIEW Program, The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
Today is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere. The moon is full and brilliant-visible in Johannesburg by 5:30 PM. The days here continue to present with a clear, brilliant blue sky and temperatures in the high 60’s. I eat lunch outdoors each day and let the cool air and warm sun embrace me. The air is dry which is a gift to my frizzy hair. It is a truly near perfect climate.
Less pleasant is the inability to leave the conference center for a walk or to watch the people of Johannesburg conduct everyday life. Less than half a block away is a corner that has signs declaring “High Crime Area” and “Smash & Grab” zone. The intersections have traffic lights but they may not be operational due to either load shedding or the intentional disarming of the intersection signals. Instead, people in need use these locations to direct traffic for donations of change tossed from car windows. I have been told that the official looking orange vests worn by the volunteers are purchased online; at times some of the men wear white socks on their hands to simulate gloves worn by the government officials. Every day is a lesson in this city of 5.6 million.
The past two days have been used to facilitate use of The CVI Range. The Group 1 participants watched an in-person assessment conducted by Lindsay and me. Terry kindly volunteered her daughter with whom I have conducted two previous CVI Range evaluations. The training group observed video observations of the child at her home and was able to remotely watch the parent interview and direct assessment. They scored the assessment, and we had an in-depth discussion. Saturday, they will repeat this process
(say, “pro sayz”) I sincerely hope the CVI lessons learned here will carry forward in their home schools, clinics, and hospital settings. I have charged them, no, pleaded with them, to do so.
At the end of the day, Antoinette took us for a refresh on our groceries. It is a short drive but one that requires a degree of alertness. Given the pretend traffic controllers, the warning signs along the streets, the left-side-of-the-road driving, and the parking lot car watchers (picture the same “uniform” as the intersection folks), even a brief trip is an adventure.
(Working hard in the evlauation)
(dad’s attention is the payoff)
CVI Workshop 2024 Agenda Week 1
CVI Workshop 2024 Agenda Week 2