[blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA

Fri Apr 17 23:31:47 UTC 2009

Cool Carol and Holly!!! Super!!

Carrie Gilmer, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
Home Phone: 763-784-8590
carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
www.nfb.org/nopbc

-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Carol Castellano
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 12:44 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA

We just had a great experience in NJ 
yesterday.  Holly Miller, who's been active on 
our list, came down to my office with Hank her 
son and we all went out on a cane walk.  Hank 
picked it up just like that!  As he uses the cane 
and the various hand positions, etc. become 
second nature to him, I am sure he will find it very freeing.

It was fun to watch him--every time the cane went 
over a little bump, he would notice and then bend 
down to check out what it was. Not one bump 
tripped him up.  It was really great.

Carol

At 02:18 PM 4/14/2009, you wrote:
>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
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>>>
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>>>o%40verizon.net
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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