From motion to interaction: How multisensory information shapes motor behaviors in children with visual impairment.
Adding short multisensory bursts makes visually impaired kids move more freely and stay nearer their caregiver—motion-capture proves it.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Guarischi et al. (2025) watched how children with visual impairment move when extra sounds, touch, or lights are added. They used motion-capture cameras to track every tiny shift of the body. The kids walked or reached while the team changed the sensory scene around them.
What they found
When multisensory cues were turned on, the children’s paths became more varied and they stayed closer to their caregiver. More wiggles in the line on the screen meant the child was exploring instead of freezing. The extra senses seemed to unlock braver, more flexible movement.
How this fits with other research
Dammeyer et al. (2013) already showed that motion-capture can link small body shifts to social engagement in one non-verbal boy with severe delays. Marta’s team widens that lens by proving the same gear picks up immediate changes when you add sensory input.
Sievers et al. (2020) gave kids with DCD a 90° rotated screen and found that watching plus imagining sped up visuomotor learning. Marta moves the idea forward: real-time multisensory cues, not just mental practice, can re-shape actual walking trajectories in visually impaired children.
Fulceri et al. (2018) saw poorer coordination in ASD when kids had to read only movement cues. Marta’s positive result seems opposite, but the difference is input. Francesca removed help; Marta added it. Extra cues, not reliance on subtle ones, is what freed up the VI children’s motion.
Why it matters
If you work with children who are blind or have low vision, build brief bursts of sound, vibration, or light into mobility tasks. A beeping wristband, a textured floor strip, or a caregiver’s synchronized clap can increase exploratory steps and keep the child within safe reach. Try adding one novel cue next session and watch the motion-capture line wiggle—more wiggle, more learning.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Place a small wireless buzzer in the child’s pocket that vibrates each time they take a step and note if their walking path widens or they stay closer to you.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The ability to move independently enables children to develop perceptual, cognitive, and social interaction skills. Concerning this, vision holds a key role. As a result, children with visual impairment (VI) might be more challenged in their ability to move within their surroundings and interact with their caregivers. AIM: This study investigated whether the use of multisensory stimuli could influence the motor exploration of children with VI and shape their interaction with the caregivers. For this, the present work examined the variability of children's motor trajectory and the distance between children and caregivers in a setting with and without multisensory cues. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A Motion Capture System was used within an ecological playroom environment. The Strange Situation paradigm was simplified and adapted by placing three TechARMs in the corners of the playroom to deliver audio-visual stimuli, used instead of the stranger. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Children with VI showed larger variability within their motor trajectory and kept a shorter distance from the caregivers when multisensory cues were introduced in the playroom. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Multisensory signals were considered unusual and influenced the kinematic parameters. Motor control of the environment was achieved by managing attention flexibility. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD?: This study enriches available evidence about the study of motor and social interaction in children with VI, highlighting how multisensory stimuli could either support or hinder social and motor behaviors. Moreover, enhancing ecological validity could drive progress in the development and application of technological devices to clinical and research setting.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104956