DEAF-BLINDNESS
DUAL SENSORY LOSS
A red and white cane means that the person has a dual sensory loss or
is Deafblind.
Deafblindness is a unique disability. If you think of a single sensory
loss as equal to one unit - two sensory losses when combined together
will make problems much more than those of the two units put together.
Much will depend on the degree of loss of either sense and when the
loss occurred and how the person had adapted. A mild hearing loss and
mild visual impairment are still likely to cause difficulties with
communication, mobility and access to information.
There are generally 4 main categories of deafblindness or dual sensory
loss -
- People who are Congenitally
deafblind will have difficulty in learning about the world about them.
They may also have other physical and cognitive difficulties.
- People who are born deaf -and
later become blind are likely to use BSL and have relied on their
vision for communication. People who have become deaf and later lose
vision will have language, but will have difficulties in accessing it.
- People who were born blind will
have been taught to rely on hearing. So will people who became blind
and then lost hearing. They may need to find alternative methods of
communication
- There is a small group of people
who lose both hearing and sight at the same time due to illness or
accident.
- Elderly people have a high
incidence deafblindness. Age related sight loss and hearing loss are
both very common and though people can still be very active and
mentally alert it is harder to learn new skills.
Communication is likely to vary considerably. You are likely to
have to work with a communicator guide who knows the person well, or
with a specialist deafblind interpreter. Communicator-Guides are
employed to act as the eyes and ears of a deafblind person. Specialist
interpreters are also available, depending on the method of
communication needed.
Visual Frame signing
Hands-on-signing.
Lip-reading very close with colour contrast
Clear speech with some adaptations
Deafblind manual (fingerspelling)
Block
Tadoma (feeling the lips and throat)
Communication devises using Braille or Moon or large print
If the person can receive Deafblind manual or Block it would be
appreciated if you can learn it to be able to say Hello or to be able
to introduce yourself, but you will still need an interpreter who knows
them well for the real communication.
Georgette Vale SNAG 2009