In the process of implementing yet another service, the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) will promote between April 28 and May 26, 2022, the course “Low Vision: strategies and interventions at different stages of life”. The training is aimed at Education professionals who work in the Municipal Education Departments of Macaíba, Natal and São Gonçalo do Amarante, with free registration. A certificate will be issued to those who complete at least 75% of the 8pm scheduled for the course.

The Ministry of Health officially changed the category of the ISD Specialized Rehabilitation Center, located in the rural area of Macaíba, from III to IV, in August 2021. In addition to rehabilitation services for hearing, intellectual and motor disabilities, CER IV ISD will now serve patients with visual impairments. This is the first CER IV in Greater Natal and the second in Rio Grande do Norte, which will serve patients with visual impairment (blindness and low vision) from the 7th Health Region, which includes the municipalities of Macaíba, Natal, Parnamirim, Extremoz and São Gonçalo do Amarante.

The course in question is part of the Project “Health and Education in the care and prevention of eye diseases in the 7th Health Region of Rio Grande do Norte”, and will discuss the implications of visual impairment – low vision, in interaction with the environment school and social. Visual impairment, whether congenital or acquired at the beginning or throughout life, has consequences in several aspects - social, educational, psychological -, affecting the independence, self-esteem, quality of life and interaction of blind or visually impaired people. vision with family, friends and community.

“In childhood, in particular, having low vision can cause serious impairments to the child’s academic development. If they are not properly encouraged to use visual residues, favoring a satisfactory perceptual process and visual capacity, they will obtain poor and distorted visual information about reality and poor academic performance”, highlights Prof. Dr. Luzia Guacira dos Santos Silva, ISD educator who will act as course facilitator.

Knowing about low vision in children, young people and adults allows us to dispel misconceptions and myths, understand how to relate and enable means and strategies that promote an adequate environment and greater visual efficiency. In addition to offering adequate visual stimulation and training in the use of optical and non-optical aids, Communication, Orientation and Mobility and Activities of Daily Living, when necessary.

Timeline

Course: Low Vision: strategies and interventions at different stages of life

Dates: April 28th; May 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2022.

Time: 8am to 12pm

Location: Paulo Freire Auditorium – Health Education and Research Center Anita Garibaldi (Anita), next to UPA Aluízio Alves (Macaíba)

Workload: 20 hours

Registration: through the Municipal Department of Education of each municipality