[blindkid] FOCUS on MUSIC 3

Laura Weber weberfam07 at comcast.net
Wed Mar 10 16:03:03 UTC 2010


Please see the forwarded message below regarding a new study on how visual
impairment affects the development of musicality in babies, 

children and young people with Leber's Congenital Amaurosis.

 

FOCUS on MUSIC 3

 

            I am undertaking a new study into how visual impairment affects
the development of musicality in children. The research will focus on
babies, children and young people with 'Leber Congenital Amaurosis' (often
called 'Leber's Amaurosis'). Focus on Music 3 will follow on from two
earlier studies, the first involving children with septo-optic dysplasia
(whose findings were published in 2006), and the second concerned with
children with retinopathy of prematurity (published late in 2009).

            The findings to date suggest that musical development really
does tend to be different in children who are born with little or no vision,
or who lose their sight shortly after birth. But the nature of their eye
condition - particularly where this is linked to a wider syndrome - can be
important too. So, for example, if your child has septo-optic dysplasia and
has no useful vision, then the chances of him or her having 'absolute pitch'
(the ability to tell which note is which in music, just by listening) are
greatly increased. If you child is blind through retinopathy of prematurity,
however, they are even higher - about 4,000x more likely than for children
who can see. This applies whether or not your child has learning
difficulties.

            Just what findings like these mean for the children concerned
and their teachers is also an important part of the research - discovering
which strategies are most effective in helping young people reach their
musical potential, whether they want to engage in musical activities just
for fun, or with more serious public performance in mind.

            So, if your child has Leber's Amaurosis - whether or not s/he
seems to be particularly musical - and however young or old s/he is, and you
would like to be involved in this new research, then please do get in touch,
and I will email or post you a short questionnaire. In the meantime, if you
have any questions, do contact me.

 

Thank you!



 

Adam Ockelford

Professor of Music, Roehampton University, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PU

Tel: 07818-456 472  Email: a.ockelford at roehampton.ac.uk 

 

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