visually impaired babies

Let us imagine what it is to be like a nine-month old baby who is blind. As the baby lies on it's tummy they are aware of many sensations. The baby can feel the floor moving beneath as a person walks past and vibrations through their hands, knees, tummy and head. They feel the gust of air from movements and when a door is opened or closed.



The baby hears sounds, some soft, some loud. While some sounds come from the same place others move and become louder or softer.



Smells are different and can remind the baby of people, food or different things like clothing and toys.



Tastes are different too. A toy is put into their hand, they chew it. As they place their face into the carpet they taste it. As a child explores, food, hands and objects all taste differently.



When they feel objects some things are hard and soft. Like the leg of a chair some are furry, others smooth, warm, cold or rough.



They are aware of movement by themselves and by others, sometimes suddenly. If another toddler stumbles over them, if a noisy toy is put into their hands or if they are lifted too quickly, this can be scary.



Gradually things will begin to make sense. When a baby hears a mother's voice, they are reassured. However, when they hear a different voice, they do not know what will happen. Some people will feel familiar and safe, while others are strange. They begin to learn when placed in a high chair, food is not far away. When they hear water running, smell the familiar smells of the bathroom and hear the word "bath" they know what is to come.



So even without sight, they are learning to anticipate what will happen next and now feel secure in certain situations. They will be able to connect words and sounds with actions and objects. However while they are receiving all these sensations, they are still unaware of much around them. There may be toys near by, but if they don't touch them they may never know where they are. A baby may be unaware that they are lying near table legs, that they are facing a certain direction or that their dummy, which they want desperately, is just out of reach.



In order to help the baby make sense of their surroundings, we must encourage sensory exploration to help them learn. We must give them meaning and the opportunity to find out about those things of which they are unaware.









The first step security

The world of a baby who is blind can be confusing, but we can help them feel secure in a number of ways by giving cues or warnings that something is about to happen. Before picking a baby up, we might gently grasp their hands and say "up you come", to prepare them. Touching their lip or cheek gently before food or a spoon is put into their mouth will let them know they are about to eat. If you approach them gradually, talking to the baby as you near, they will not be startled. By splashing their feet and legs gently with water before putting them into to bath they will be prepared for the sudden change and temperature.



Language is central to helping a baby feel secure. We can talk about what is happening, and what will happen to them, as well as what they are touching, smelling, hearing and tasting. By using language we are helping them discover which words go with which particular action or object. If we use their name frequently, they will gradually learn that it applies to them, and if we use it at the beginning of a sentence it will help them to 'tune in' to us and they will learn that what is being said is directed to them.



It is not always easy to talk to babies and knowing exactly what to say to a baby can be a problem. For a baby who is blind it is best to talk about what is happening to them. You might talk about the sensations they are receiving such as:



"You're sitting on Daddy's knees, can you feel me bouncing up and down?", "You're in the bath, smell the soap";

"You're holding the washer in your hand";

"Can you hear Mummy coming into the room";

"It feels warm"



This type of language soon becomes second nature to parents and they become "interpreters" for their child, telling them about the world, helping them to learn and feel more secure.









Encouraging curiosity

Sighted children learn mostly because they are curious about objects that they can see. Children who are blind are unable to see interesting things to grasp and will not develop curiosity about objects unless they are in direct physical contact or encouraged to do so. A nine-month old baby who is blind is unlikely to reach for something that makes a noise, no matter how interesting it may sound. If they drop a favourite toy, they are unlikely to search for it. However, if through touch they are given the slightest clue as to where it is, they will grasp it quickly. A child who is blind can appear uninterested and lacking in curiosity, even though they may be listening intently to what is happening around them. To reach the stage where they will reach to sound and search for objects, they must be given experiences to encourage their curiosity.









Ways to encourage curiosity

Babies must first know their surroundings and that there are things outside their own body to experience. We can do this by bringing the world to them and by introducing them to things. For example, we can ensure that the baby is in frequent contact with toys by placing them near their body. When they move, chances will increase that they will touch something interesting. If toys are placed near their feet, they will learn that things happen 'down there' as well as near their hands.



We can give the baby a variety of experiences to show them the world is full of wonderful and various objects. This can include different:



Textures - such as soft or hard floors, sticky things, rough or smooth rugs and towels, scratchy, wet or dry surfaces;

Tastes - sweet, salty, sour, strong, bland;

Sizes big and small toys;

Sounds loud, soft, sharp, melodious, harsh, fast or slow;

Smells flowers, floor polish, soap, food.

Again, language is crucial in providing the framework on which a child can understand these experiences.









Learning through feedback

Instant and continuous feedback is essential in any learning to understand the effects of actions. For a child who is blind, feedback through language is essential. When a baby drops their rattle, they hear it, but unless we tell them what has happened, it will not make sense. We need to tell them when the food bowl is empty and they have eaten the last spoonful, that they are making the bell ring when they shake it and that the ball has rolled away when they throw it.



We can also encourage them to try new tasks and to practice skills simply by praising them and making them feel good.



Sighted children gain considerable feedback from facial expressions and gestures. A child who is blind must rely on what is said, how it is said and physical touch to sum up other peoples' moods and meaning. As well as keeping them in touch by words, it is useful to 'over act', to give emphasis to what is said. By giving a big hug and saying "that was wonderful", this means as much as a smile and a quiet "well done".



Feedback is a two way process and we react to children who are blind on the cues they give us. Babies and children who are blind do not react in the same way as sighted children to some situations. Rather than turn their eyes to a sound, they may turn their ear, or keep very still, listening intently.



Babies may not smile at first to a parent's voice or touch, but with time may learn to do so. When they realise that there are things 'out there', our baby's hands may make tentative, small movements, telling us that they are beginning to reach out. It is important that we learn to read these messages so that we can interpret them to increase learning.









Learning about themselves

We take for granted that out bodies have certain parts which all fit together that we can see. Children who are blind need to learn about their bodies and this can begin at birth. By nursing and rocking the child, they begin to learn what their body feel like. Massage can also draw attention to the different parts of their body and if we talk about what we are doing, they will learn even faster. As we dress and undress them, we can talk about the different body parts. Songs and rhymes about body parts can assist with remembering. We can also show them that we too have parts, like them.



Babies also need to learn where they are in space. Sometimes they are on the floor, or held up high in someone's arms. We can play games in which they are 'low' or 'high'. As they get older, we can show them that can fit through some spaces, but not through others or that they can fit their whole body in some spaces but only feet in others. We can orientate them with how a room is arranged, what is in it and how to get from one room to another. It is important that we talk to them about what they are experiencing so that they can attach meaning to what is happening.









Putting it all together: language and experience

Experiences alone are not enough. By giving the child the associated language for what is happening they can better interpret actions and surroundings. For example a sighted child can use their vision and senses they hear a noise, turn to see what caused it; see their brother with a sad face standing over a broken dish and their mother running from another room. They are able to use vision to make sense of this experience, however this must be verbalised or described to a child who is blind.



Actions and objects need to be placed in context as well as described to give true meaning. We might talk to a child daily about Daddy going to work on a train, however if the child has never experiences the train or does not know what it is, it will not be understood.



Television and radio can be another example. While babies and children may like TV and radio sounds unless understood they can be meaningless and confusing as background noise. At an early age it is better to focus on noises and sounds which they can experience personally linked to sensory development.



The most valuable communication with a child who is blind is grounded in experience, linked with what they are doing or happening to them here and now.



Linking experiences and language needs to be ongoing. Unlike sighted children who can use their vision to prompt their memories, children who are blind need frequent repetition of experiences with language to enable them to build up a picture of their world.