Visual impairment as a consequence of brain tumour: difficulties experienced by the child in spatial orientation, and in the cognitive, social and communication areas

Childhood brain tumour, especially when its treatment begins in early life and causes visual and motor disability, can imply a number of difficulties in spatial orientation, and in cognitive, social and communication areas. The article presents a case study of a 10-year-old boy with low vision. His impairment arose as a consequence of a tumour in deep structures of the right cerebral hemisphere, including the optic chiasm. The aim of the study was to understand how cancer and visual impairment affect the functioning of the boy in question. The study involved the use of tools for functional diagnosis of children with visual impairment. Document analysis, interviewing and observation were also used. The results are consistent with previous studies on the threats to the accomplishment of developmental tasks for children with brain tumour and concomitant neurodevelopmental deficits, as well as reduced psychosocial functioning whose cancer treatment started before the age of 6.