How to Help a Deaf‐Blind Child
Establish consistent daily routines., Create an enabling environment., Create a reactive environment for infants and small children., Use your hands to share experiences., Teach your child ordinary skills., Find a school where your child can...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Establish consistent daily routines.
Because deaf-blind children cannot see or hear things, they need tactile cues and consistent schedules so that they may anticipate the activities that make up their life.
Try to start every day with the same routine, eat meals around the same time, and follow a similar sequence when undergoing common rituals.Stick to your sequences.
For instance, you may naturally feed your child lunch, play with them, and then put them down for a nap.
Try to stick to this so that your child knows what's happening based on what has happened before.
Design your sequences to have clear beginnings and ends.
For instance, you might always open the toy chest to play, and close it up to end playtime. -
Step 2: Create an enabling environment.
Set up your child's room and other spaces so that they are accessible to your child.
Give your child control over their environment.
Once you have set up your child's room, your child should be able to adjust it to their liking.Let your child decorate their room, picking out their own curtains and lamps based on what they like to touch.
If your child has some sight, lighting and colors are very important.
Rooms should be well lit, but without glare.
Important items should be bright and contrast with the background, and clutter should be avoided.Older children should clean their own rooms. , Give your infant a play space that they can manipulate and that will react to their movements.
Consider a water play mat, or low-hanging mobiles your baby can easily reach.Get interactive toys, such as toys that vibrate, make noise within your child's range of hearing, can be manipulated and altered by your child, or have textures that your child can enjoy. , You may put your hand gently under your child's, or place your child's hand on your hand, to show your child that you see what they are doing, and teach them what you are doing as well.
When they are playing with a toy, you might gently put a hand under their hand that is on the toy, or play at passing it back and forth.
When you are eating, show your child that you are also eating by briefly placing their hand on your hand or jaw.Your child will learn to reach for your hand when they want to know what you are doing, or to ask questions about their environment. , Your child should learn ordinary life skills to the best of their ability.
Allow your child to shadow you while you complete household tasks, and guide them physically through the process of making food, doing laundry, and cleaning.
Your child may benefit from an in-home aide. , While some deaf-blind children may require a school for deaf, blind, and deaf-blind children, the majority attend local public schools in integrated classrooms.They may require the help of technology and perhaps a one-on-one aide.
Children with some level of hearing or vision may use microphones and large-print text in an integrated classroom.
They may be able to work with an interpreter.
Most deaf-blind children have other physical and cognitive differences that will inform their education.Check out educational programs and resources for deaf-blind children and their teachers in the United States: https://nationaldb.org/library/page/657 , To the best of your ability, get your child a medical care team that includes specialists in deafness and blindness.
Bring your child in for regular check-ups, and ask your doctor about educational resources and advances in technology that may benefit your child.
Ask your doctor about cochlear implants to allow your child to hear.
Apply for government financial aid. -
Step 3: Create a reactive environment for infants and small children.
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Step 4: Use your hands to share experiences.
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Step 5: Teach your child ordinary skills.
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Step 6: Find a school where your child can flourish.
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Step 7: Get good medical care.
Detailed Guide
Because deaf-blind children cannot see or hear things, they need tactile cues and consistent schedules so that they may anticipate the activities that make up their life.
Try to start every day with the same routine, eat meals around the same time, and follow a similar sequence when undergoing common rituals.Stick to your sequences.
For instance, you may naturally feed your child lunch, play with them, and then put them down for a nap.
Try to stick to this so that your child knows what's happening based on what has happened before.
Design your sequences to have clear beginnings and ends.
For instance, you might always open the toy chest to play, and close it up to end playtime.
Set up your child's room and other spaces so that they are accessible to your child.
Give your child control over their environment.
Once you have set up your child's room, your child should be able to adjust it to their liking.Let your child decorate their room, picking out their own curtains and lamps based on what they like to touch.
If your child has some sight, lighting and colors are very important.
Rooms should be well lit, but without glare.
Important items should be bright and contrast with the background, and clutter should be avoided.Older children should clean their own rooms. , Give your infant a play space that they can manipulate and that will react to their movements.
Consider a water play mat, or low-hanging mobiles your baby can easily reach.Get interactive toys, such as toys that vibrate, make noise within your child's range of hearing, can be manipulated and altered by your child, or have textures that your child can enjoy. , You may put your hand gently under your child's, or place your child's hand on your hand, to show your child that you see what they are doing, and teach them what you are doing as well.
When they are playing with a toy, you might gently put a hand under their hand that is on the toy, or play at passing it back and forth.
When you are eating, show your child that you are also eating by briefly placing their hand on your hand or jaw.Your child will learn to reach for your hand when they want to know what you are doing, or to ask questions about their environment. , Your child should learn ordinary life skills to the best of their ability.
Allow your child to shadow you while you complete household tasks, and guide them physically through the process of making food, doing laundry, and cleaning.
Your child may benefit from an in-home aide. , While some deaf-blind children may require a school for deaf, blind, and deaf-blind children, the majority attend local public schools in integrated classrooms.They may require the help of technology and perhaps a one-on-one aide.
Children with some level of hearing or vision may use microphones and large-print text in an integrated classroom.
They may be able to work with an interpreter.
Most deaf-blind children have other physical and cognitive differences that will inform their education.Check out educational programs and resources for deaf-blind children and their teachers in the United States: https://nationaldb.org/library/page/657 , To the best of your ability, get your child a medical care team that includes specialists in deafness and blindness.
Bring your child in for regular check-ups, and ask your doctor about educational resources and advances in technology that may benefit your child.
Ask your doctor about cochlear implants to allow your child to hear.
Apply for government financial aid.
About the Author
James Ferguson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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