NeuroGenesis

14/08/2026

Missed our FREE CVI Introduction & Panel Discussion? 🎥

The recording is now available!

If you work with children with special needs, this session is a great introduction to understanding how CVI affects the way children see and interpret their world—and how this understanding can change the way we support them.

In the recording, we:

🔹 Explore what CVI can look like in children
🔹 Look at real examples across different phases of visual functioning
🔹 Hear from Speech Therapists, OTs and Teachers about how understanding CVI has changed their approach
🔹 Explore the practical impact this understanding can have on the children we work with

👉 WATCH THE RECORDING HERE:
https://www.neurogenesis-training.com/products/courses/understanding-cvi-panel

And if the session sparks your interest in learning more, our CVI online Foundation and Assessment training begins in October 2026, followed by the exclusive in-person practicums and masterclasses with Dr Christine Roman-Lantzy in April 2027.

Find out more about the training:
www.neurogenesis-training.com

08/08/2026

Understanding CVI – and what it can change in your practice

Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) is one of the most common causes of visual impairment in children, yet it is still often misunderstood. Understanding how CVI affects the way a child sees, interprets and responds to the world can completely change how we support them.

Join us for a FREE live Zoom presentation and panel discussion and hear directly from professionals who have completed our CVI training, including Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Teachers and NeuroMovement Practitioners.

They will share their experiences of understanding CVI more deeply, how it has changed the way they work, and the impact they have seen in the children they support.

📅 13 August 2026
⏰ 18:00 South African Standard Time (GMT+2)
💻 FREE Zoom Call | 45 minutes

We'll also briefly introduce our upcoming online CVI training for those who would like to explore the topic further.

Register FREE

[Register for the Zoom session](https://zoom.us/meeting/register/rwbv-AO5SeOat2f84nRIsQ?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

We'd love for you to join the conversation and hear how a deeper understanding of CVI can make a difference in everyday practice.

07/08/2026

BIG HAIR. BIG HEARTS. BIG FUN!
It's time to REWIND!
Join us for the Red Balloon Foundation's Annual Fundraiser as we present The Ultimate 80's Quiz & Karaoke Night—a fun-filled evening where every ticket helps change a child's life.

Gather your family and friends and put your 80's knowledge to the test in our Ultimate 80's Quiz.
🎤 Then grab the mic and belt out your favourite 80's classics at Karaoke.
💃 Finally, hit the dance floor and shake that tail feather to the biggest hits of the decade!

Your ticket includes:
• Delicious dinner
• Welcome drink
• One drink from the cash bar
• An unforgettable evening of fun!

Dress Code: Go BIG on the 80's!

📅 Saturday, 3 October 2026
🕔 17:00
📍 Eagles Nest, Fourways
🎟 Early Bird (Book & Pay by 1 September)
• R600 per person
• R3 000 for a table of 6
After 1 September:
• R650 per person
• R3 500 for a table of 6

Book your tickets here : https://qkt.io/RBF80srewind
or email us at [email protected]

100% of the proceeds help provide neurological rehabilitation to underprivileged children through the Red Balloon Foundation.
Gather your team. Dress up. Quiz. Sing. Dance. Change a life.
TRIVIA • TUNES • TIMELESS GENEROSITY

05/08/2026

❓ Why would a child with CVI think this is a car?

At first glance, this might seem confusing.

After all, she clearly knows what a shoe is...

So what's happening?

Children don't simply learn what objects are by looking at them once or twice. Their brains often need many meaningful visual experiences to build a strong visual library.

Most children develop this visual library through incidental learning. Every day they naturally see thousands of objects from different angles, in different lighting, at different distances and in different environments. Over time, their brain learns which features are important and begins to recognise an object even when it looks different.

For many children with CVI, this process is much more difficult.

Characteristics such as visual complexity, difficulty viewing at a distance, movement and competing sensory information can limit the visual information their brain is able to process. This means they have fewer opportunities to build a rich visual library.

Instead, they often learn an object from one very specific view that was shown to them.

To recognise an object across different photographs, drawings and symbols, the brain has to identify its salient features—the visual characteristics that make that object unique.

If those salient features haven't been firmly established, a simplified drawing can become just a collection of unfamiliar shapes and lines rather than "a shoe."

This is why intervention for children with CVI begins with meaningful real objects, then realistic photographs, before gradually introducing more abstract images as their visual understanding develops.

Visual recognition isn't just about seeing.

It's about learning what to look for.

💬 Have you ever noticed a child recognising a real object but struggling with pictures or drawings? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

💡 Have a CVI question you'd like answered? Leave it in the comments—it could be our next CVI Question of the Week!

31/07/2026

09/07/2026

CVI Changes Everything for Teaching

Children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) don't necessarily learn differently because they can't understand.

They often learn differently because they can't efficiently access the visual information presented to them.

Busy classrooms, colourful displays, worksheets, group activities and visual clutter can quickly become overwhelming.

Understanding CVI allows teachers to:

• Reduce unnecessary visual complexity.
• Present one concept at a time.
• Adapt worksheets and classroom displays.
• Consider seating and lighting.
• Use consistent routines and visual supports.
• Allow extra processing time.
• Build learning through meaningful, functional experiences.

A child who seems distracted or disengaged may actually be working incredibly hard just to process the visual world.

Small changes can make learning accessible.

Understanding CVI helps every child reach their potential.

Ready to deepen your understanding of CVI? Visit www.neurogenesis-training.com to explore our practical online training courses and discover how small changes can make a big difference.

08/07/2026

CVI Changes Everything for Physiotherapy sessions.

Physiotherapy is about so much more than improving strength, balance and movement.

It's about helping children explore their world.

But what if the world isn't visually accessible?

Children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) often have difficulty processing visual information, locating objects, judging distance, navigating their environment and interpreting movement around them. These challenges don't just affect how they move—they also affect whether they want to move in the first place.

If reaching for a toy is visually overwhelming...
If moving across a room means navigating a confusing environment...
If it's difficult to recognise people, toys or destinations...
..movement can become unpredictable, frustrating and even frightening.

For many children with CVI, reduced motivation to move is not because they lack curiosity or physical ability. It's because they lack **visual confidence**.

Understanding CVI helps physiotherapists to:

• Create visually accessible environments that encourage exploration.
• Reduce visual complexity so children can focus on movement.
• Present motivating toys and activities within the child's optimal visual field.
• Use preferred colours, movement and lighting to capture visual attention.
• Allow time for visual processing before expecting movement.
• Understand why a child may hesitate before reaching, crawling or walking.
• Recognise that movement challenges may be driven by visual processing rather than motor ability alone.

When children can successfully see and understand what they are moving towards, they are often more motivated to initiate movement, explore their environment and practise new motor skills.

Want to learn how CVI can transform your professional practice? Explore our evidence-based online training designed for therapists, educators and professionals working with children with neurological differences at www.neurogenesis-training.com

07/07/2026

CVI Changes Everything for Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists help children participate in everyday life.

But participation depends on one critical question:

Can the child actually interpret what they're being asked to look at?

Children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) often struggle with visual complexity, recognising objects, locating items in busy environments, visually guiding their hands and processing visual information quickly.

Without understanding CVI, therapy goals may unintentionally focus on skills that the child cannot yet access visually.

Understanding CVI allows occupational therapists to:

• Adapt the visual environment before expecting participation.
• Reduce background clutter.
• Introduce new objects gradually.
• Support visually guided reach.
• Modify self-care activities to improve visual access.
• Improve toy selection and play.
• Support sensory regulation while considering visual processing.
• Increase independence by reducing unnecessary visual demands.

Sometimes the child doesn't need more practice.

They need better visual access.

When vision becomes more accessible, participation often increases.

That's the power of understanding CVI.

Want to learn how CVI can transform your professional practice? Explore our evidence-based online training designed for therapists, educators and professionals working with children with neurological differences at www.neurogenesis-training.com.

06/07/2026

CVI Changes Everything for Speech Therapy

Many people think speech therapy is all about communication, language and speech sounds. But for many children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), one of the biggest barriers to communication is actually visual access.

If a child cannot efficiently process what they are looking at, they may struggle to use AAC, interpret picture symbols, identify communication partners or visually engage with therapy materials.

Understanding CVI changes the questions we ask.

Instead of asking:
❌ "Why isn't this child looking at the communication board?"

We ask:
✅ "Can this child actually access the communication board visually?"

When speech therapists understand CVI they can:

• Set communication goals that match the child's visual abilities.
• Reduce visual complexity in therapy materials.
• Present symbols one at a time when needed.
• Consider preferred colours, lighting and visual fields.
• Allow time for visual processing before expecting a response.
• Recognise that inconsistent responses often reflect changing visual access rather than poor understanding.
• Improve positioning of communication partners and AAC systems.

A 2025 longitudinal study published in the *American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology* found that improvements in functional vision were associated with improvements in communication for children with CVI using AAC. The researchers concluded that supporting functional vision should be an integral part of communication intervention.

When we improve visual access, we often improve communication.

Understanding CVI makes speech therapy more effective.

Expand your knowledge of CVI and gain practical strategies you can apply immediately in your practice. Learn more at www.neurogenesis-training.com.