The 'new' deaf-blind?

Abstract

A national survey of children described as deaf-blind was carried out in 1982/3 to ascertain numbers, cause of handicaps, communication and services. The results give details of 288 children, some of whom were handicapped by Rubella, although the majority suffered from multiple sensory defects caused by other conditions. It is concluded that there is a clear need for further staff training, an increased input from services for the visually handicapped and development of suitable assessment tools.

Meeting the needs of young deaf‐blind children and their parents Part 2

“…However, as Mclnnes & Treffry (1982) point out, many deaf-blind children show autistic-like tendencies, and if they have sufficient vision they will look at hands long before they make eye-contact, and therefore for children like these Mclnnes & Treffry state that signing accompanied by speech will be necessary. CONCLUSION A deaf-blind child has a severe combination of sensory impairment and, as Best (1983) shows, it may well be complicated by additional disabihties. In considering ways of meeting the child's and parents' needs it is inevitable that one is preoccupied with the special needs specific to his disability.…”

“…Special units for deaf-blind children are few and far between and Brock had to wait 9 years before Christopher was appropriately placed, inevitably, in a residential school. Best (1983) shows in her survey that a high number of deaf-blind children were placed in hospital schools or schools for severely disabled children where they receive little, if any, teaching appropriate to their sensory impairments. Under the 1981 Education Act there should be better protection for children with such a formidable combination of disabilities.…”

Meeting the needs of young deaf‐blind children and their parent. Prt 1.

“…The figures show that there have been peaks occurring in 1973 and 1979 and that the incidence seems to occur in cycles, but as the rubella vaccination programme for schoolgirls started in 1970 begins to take effect, there is a marked underlying downward trend. Best (1983) conducted a national survey of children who could be described as deaf-blind and not being educated in special deaf-blind units. During 1982During -1983 she sent a questionnaire to heads of ESN(s) and hospital schools which yielded information about 228 children.…”

“…However, when one considers the plight of the deaf-blind child, it is important to remember that Best's (1983) survey showed that 40% of the young children had physical impairments. Children with a right hemiplegia will have damage to the left cerebral hemisphere which could involve damage to Broca's area (concerned with speech production) or to Wernicke's area (concerned with speech reception) (Springer & Deutsch 1981).…”

“…Tucker & Nolan (1984), in considering methods of testing young deaf-blind children suggest that the brain stem evoked response is suitable for use as it is resistant to drugs. Best (1983) gives the figures for epilepsy in her survey of deaf-blind children aged 2-5 years as 14%, 6-11 years as 31%, 12-19 years as 24%, from which it is clear that the possibility of medication for a considerable proportion of deaf-blind children cannot be ignored. The Body Spek can be used quickly and easily in clinic and can give a rough indication of whether a child is receiving sound at 60 dB and 80 dB, although it does not give information about auditory function over the range of frequencies.…”