Newsletter 4 - Our first year

Newsletter from Dr Nicola McDowell, Austin Assessment Founder

Hello and welcome

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As we approach the end of our first year, the Austin Assessment team have been reflecting on both achievements and lessons learnt since January. As with all new endeavours, it has been a bit of a roller-coaster at times, but our passion for making a difference in the lives of children affected by CVI around the world has been the driving force that has kept us going through it all.  

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My intention for the Austin Assessment was always that it was a resource created ‘by the community, for the community’ and this has been further cemented in 2024. Our global CVI community have embraced the Austin Assessment. It has been downloaded in 50 countries and used in research, in schools, in clinics and in the home. Families have shared wonderful stories of how the app has transformed their lives. Read about Maree and her son Oscar and understand the incredible difference it makes to a child’s life where CVI is identified and supported. Vision professionals have reported how valuable it is as an addition to their assessment and diagnostic toolbox, as was shared in this review. One thing we hear over and over is how much children love the Austin Assessment. We love hearing these stories. Please reach out to us if you would like to contribute to our news section on the website by writing a blog/update or review.

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The feedback we have received from users has also helped us to continue to develop the Austin Assessment. We pride ourselves on listening, again - by the community for the community. We know how valuable feedback is. Our updates have  helped to make the apps more accessible for all.

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2025 is already shaping up to be another big year for the Austin McDowell Foundation and our CVI community. We have been having some exciting discussions with researchers from around the world who are keen to use the Austin Assessment in their research projects, which we will share via our research page on the website once they have been confirmed. We are also continuing to work on the adult normative range to extend the validation of the Austin Assessment from 5-18 to also include adults and will make this available as soon as the research has been completed. Our dedicated team will also continue to take on board feedback and make adjustments to the apps to ensure they are effective in the different contexts they are being used.

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Season’s greetings from all of us at the Austin McDowell Foundation, and wishing you a happy new year and the very best for 2024. We can’t wait to continue the Austin Assessment journey with you all next year!  

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What’s New?

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We have made a significant change to the pricing of the family app. The app can now be downloaded for free from the App Store and one screening at a time can be purchased via in-app purchases.

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If you have any ideas or have had any issues, we want to hear from you. Email us at info@austinassessment.org

Warm regards

Nicola

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