[blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA

Tue Apr 14 18:18:24 UTC 2009

If you go ahead and get him a cane and teach him to keep it in front of him, 
you can't go wrong.  He won't be able to use it properly at first.  That 
takes too much coordination to move the cane to the direction opposite the 
foot that's stepping.  Just get him one and let him "scribble" with it. 
Having it and out there in front of him is better than none at all.  He'll 
eventually learn that that cane can help him stay safe and will gain an 
interest in using it correctly.  If you're afraid of teaching him something 
you'll have to unteach someday, get a stick from the backyard when you go 
out to play and let him bang it on trees and the ground and stuff.  Let him 
hold it up in the air and find the underside of the slide or low hanging 
branches.  Let him learn that that stick (or the cane) is an extention of 
his arm.
Barbara

If wisdom's ways you wisely seek, five things observe with care:  of whom 
you speak, to whom you speak, and how and when and where.

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Marie Smith" <empwrn at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 8:48 AM
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA

> Yes I am. I am thinking that we are going to go ahead and request at least
> the orientation and mobility evaluation so we can get him started with a
> cane or pre-cane. I thought of just getting a cane ourselves maybe and
> letting him have a go at it but I did not know if we might inadvertently
> teach something wrong or improper use or something.
>
> As an aside, I have read your book regarding education of young blind
> children and now your booklet that is sent out with the Readbooks! Bag 
> from
> NBP. Thank you! Thank you thank you for taking the time to write all this
> stuff and help me to think.
>
> Marie (mother of Jack, 3 yrs old with Apert Syndrome)
> http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com
> Learn more about Apert Syndrome
> http://www.thecraniofacialcenter.org/apert.html
> Get information and support at Teeter's page
> http://www.apert.org
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Carol Castellano
>> Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 1:27 PM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA
>>
>> Hi Marie,
>> Still looking for opinions?
>> Carol
>>
>> At 11:49 PM 4/2/2009, you wrote:
>> >Opinions needed please...
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack is 3 ¾ years old. He will be 4 at the end of May.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack's right eye vision is 20/320 and he has light perception in the 
>> >left
>> >eye.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >We have noticed that when Jack is outside he looks down at his feet
>> except
>> >when he has a specific visual target to follow or go to.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack has difficulty walking in a straight line outside.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack appears sometimes to have a balance problem when walking outside
>> >because of the way he kind of holds his hands and arms up (not casually
>> down
>> >at his side).
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Indoors, he navigates familiar places very well except for objects that
>> are
>> >not regularly in his path.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Indoors, he navigates unfamiliar places fairly well except he will bump
>> into
>> >objects a few times until he has the layout memorized.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack has fine motor issues which may make holding a cane difficult. His
>> >fingers don't bend. His hands are small.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack navigates his current preschool environment just fine except that 
>> >he
>> >needs physical assistance descending stairs and curbs. He needs verbal
>> cues
>> >for going up curbs and surface changes.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack currently attends a preschool that is located inside a local K-3
>> >elementary school.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Next year, he will not have that option. We will either be sending him 
>> >to
>> >private daycare/preschool or perhaps keeping him at home. Our LEA will
>> >provide therapy consult services only next year.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Our school year ends around May 20.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jack will return to public school for kindergarten the school year that
>> >begins after he turns 5 (year after next).
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Should we ask for an orientation and mobility evaluation now? If no, 
>> >when
>> >should we ask for this?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Also, Jack's functional visual assessment was completed prior to our
>> >learning the true extent of Jack's visual impairment. The TVI wrote,
>> "Jack
>> >will be a visual learner like his peers." Since then, I asked for 
>> >another
>> >FVA but was told that they are done only every three years or unless
>> there
>> >is a significant change. At the time, we told them that our
>> ophthalmologist
>> >suspected that Jack was legally blind but was sending us to another
>> doctor.
>> >Instead of doing a FVA, the TVI provided the teacher with some low 
>> >vision
>> >tips. Should we ask for another FVA?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >All opinions and experiences welcomed. Thank you all.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Marie (mother of Jack, 3 yrs old with Apert Syndrome)
>> >http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com
>> >Learn more about Apert Syndrome
>> >http://www.thecraniofacialcenter.org/apert.html
>> >Get information and support at Teeter's page
>> >http://www.apert.org
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >blindkid mailing list
>> >blindkid at nfbnet.org
>> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>> >To unsubscribe, change your list options or get
>> >your account info for blindkid:
>> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/carol_castellan
>> o%40verizon.net
>>
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>
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