[blindkid] Rolling tip

Wed Sep 22 03:04:43 UTC 2010

Our daughter (now 8) started with a tiny little NFB cane at around 18 months of age (and if we had it to do over, I think we'd have started sooner-- somewhere around her second or third step!-- LOL...) For a couple of months (fairly early on) when she was having some "anti-cane behaviors", we agreed to let her try a heavier cane which also had a rolling tip. We did this figuring that she was better with a heavier cane she would USE than no cane at all. I think she mainly liked it because it was more like the one her O&M instructor used. Soon, we switched her back and not long after that (I'm happy to say) we got her O&M instructor to an NFB national convention. From then on, that instructor used an NFB cane for her teaching cane-- not only with her but I believe with all her students.

That makes me think-- are you modeling cane use with Jack, using one yourself at times? We found that quite useful with Kendra early on-- she like the idea of using a cane just like Mom or Dad or even her big sister (8 years older) so we'd all try and walk with her using "our" cane sometimes as well to make her want to try more. As far as tapping, I think virtually every child starting with an NFB (or I assume any) cane first slides the cane along before they begin to tap. I don't think there's anything wrong with starting there and using that as long as you need to unless and until it seems appropriate to move to other techniques.

There are couple of general observations I'd share from our early experiences-- First, even dragging a cane (any cane) in the beginning is better than not having one because the child is getting adjusted to having a cane in hand and it is really good to make that part of a routine early on, before kids are used to exploring with both hands free to the degree that they would be more likely to object to holding the cane, and second, as we had heard before we tried it (from people like Joe Cutter), we did observe in our short time using the heavier, rolling tip cane, the tip tends to pull little arms sideways until the cane is rolling along side a child and often, they leave them out there or let them roll around behind themselves and then drag them. In your case, it is hard to guess if the sideways motion would be as likely but either way, I wonder how the weight may effect his holding it.

One thing for certain, I'd absolutely follow Heather's suggestion and get a longer (and free) NFB style cane to have available no matter what other canes you may wish to try. The key here is that you're encouraging cane use. I don't think there's anything wrong with exploring options and seeing what works best as you continue to encourage independent travel for your son. With that said, for many cane travelers, ultimately the NFB cane seems an excellent choice. We're certainly happy with it for Kendra.

Richard

On Sep 21, 2010, at 8:52 PM, H. Field wrote:

> Hello Marie,
> In my experience as a blind person and an educator of young blind 
> children I have always found the NFB canes to be best for little ones 
> as they are so sensitive with the metal tip and are also light. They 
> work well for constant contact and lots of adults use a combination of 
> constant contact and tap-tap. I would get Jack a cane that comes up to 
> his forhead. This means that he will have plenty of warning when his 
> cane tip touches something and, I have found, that when boys learn 
> they have plenty of stopping time they tend to move about more 
> quickly. Also, the length will mean that he can use his cane with a 
> relaxed right arm down by his hip and will still have plenty of length 
> to ensure that he is able to cover his body width. It will also mean 
> that you won't have to get a new cane quite so soon.
> 
> I personally don't walk around with my arm in front of my stomach and 
> trying to swing a cane from the middle of my body. This is incredibly 
> uncomfortable and inevitably the cane gets caught on something and 
> pokes one in the stomach. If one hurries about like I do such pokes 
> are extremely hard and uncomfortable. I use my cane by my right side 
> much as you are reporting Jack likes to do. There is much debate "in 
> the field" about O&M for children but much of it is based on people's 
> personal opinion and I'm not aware of any well controlled, 
> longitudinal studies which have examined the effects of various early 
> cane type or technique on the adult mobility of functionally blind 
> cane users. As a blind person I consider myself the expert on what 
> things work for me personally. I would encourage you to watch what 
> works for Jack (within age-appropriate norms) and just give him plenty 
> of opportunities to develop independent, self-initiated confident 
> movement.
> 
> Some folks like the rolling tips for young dchildren as they are 
> heavier and tend to keep the cane on the ground more. However, they 
> are nowhere near as sensitive in terms of the feedback they give a 
> cane user and, in my experience, it has been better simply to teach 
> the child to keep their cane on the ground and let them get all the 
> added feedback from the metal tip. Again, I'm sure there are those who 
> will disagree with me but, I have found, most of them are sighted and 
> do not use a cane to make their way through a tactile world where the 
> smallest amount of extra information can make the hugest difference.
> 
> You can get a free cane for Jack every 6 months from the NFB website. 
> I would encourage you to go ahead and get him a new, light, long cane 
> there. You could also get him the other type and give him experience 
> with both. However, I wouldn't let him make the choice yet as to which 
> cane he used exclusively. He is too young to realise all the info his 
> roller tip cane isn't give him. Instead give him opportunities to use 
> both.
> 
> I wouldn't fret about not having an O&M instructor; being mobile and 
> oriented as a blind person moving through the world is 90% confidence 
> and belief in one's self and 10% skills. I've never had a formal O&M 
> lesson in my life and I'm am a confident and competent traveller.
> 
> Happy trails with your young, cane-wielding adventurer.
> 
> Warmly,
> 
> Heather
> 
> 
> --- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Marie" <empwrn at bellsouth.net>
> To: "Blindkid email" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 6:48 PM
> Subject: [blindkid] Rolling tip
> 
> 
> Hello everyone,
> Jack is growing so fast that it's time to get him another cane. We are 
> thinking that we will get him a slightly longer one this time and were 
> hoping to get one with a rolling tip or buy a rolling tip. With Jack's 
> small hands and his modified grasp he gets very fatigued attempting to 
> tap tap and tends to do constant contact with his cane. We thought a 
> roller tip might be a bit more conducive to constant contact. We also 
> thought we might get a longer one since when his grip fatigues, he 
> tends to put the cane between his right hand and right hip to hold it. 
> A longer cane would make this a bit easier. He actually does more side 
> to side sweeping holding the cane this way--hard to explain but it 
> works for him.
> 
> And no we don't have an O & M instructor. We lost our school services 
> when we decided to keep him in preschool this year.
> 
> So anyone know where I can get a straight unfolding cane with a 
> rolling tip or know where I can buy a rolling tip to fit a straight 
> unfolding cane...I did not see any at the NFB store but if it's there 
> somebody please point me in the right direction.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Marie (mother of Jack born May 2005)
> See glimpses of life with my determined son who is developing in his 
> own way at his own time at http://allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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