[blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA

Sat Apr 18 03:20:46 UTC 2009

Thank you guys for the encouragement. Now, where have you guys gotten your
canes? 

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 Brandy with Discovery Toys
> Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 7:08 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA
> 
> Hi, I strongly agree with Heather. Educate yourself. Read, read, and read
> some more. Talk with other parents and blind adults. A Childs confidence
> sores when they are given a cane! If you were teaching him to read you
> would
> research the best method because he will need it his whole life. Well he
> can't be an independent member of society if he can't freely confidently
> move. Give the boy a cane and watch him sore. You may have to teach him to
> keep the end on the ground, but all boys try all kinds of things. That
> cane
> will be all kinds of things as he grows and learns about his world. Keep
> asking the questions and go with your instinct. Precane devices aren't
> really much of a similar skill to be considered useful. Maybe for a
> toddler
> using a push toy but that's about it. Bran
> 
> 
> "We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called
> memories.
> Some take us forward, they're called dreams."
> Jeremy Irons
> 
> Brandy Wojcik
> Discovery Toys Group Manager and Educational Consultant
> 
> Shop online any time!
> www.playtoachieve.com
> (512) 231-8697
> 
> Let me know if I can help with any of the following:
> * Starting your own Discovery Toys business
> * Best buy bundles allow you to shop at a discount year round
> * How you can earn toys for free
> * Gift baskets for all ages
> * Gift certificates
> * Office setups and much more
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "H. Field" <missheather at comcast.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 9:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] O & M evaluation, FVA
> 
> 
> > Dear Marie,
> > Since you said you're still considering opinions, may I respectfully
> > share mine with you. I am an early childhood educator and a blind
> > person who grew up blind. It is troubling to me why you would think
> > that by giving your child a cane and letting him experiment with
> > independent movement, you could be doing the wrong thing. The latest
> > and most accurate and solidly documented information on the
> > development of movement and independent travel in young blind children
> > can be found in the book by Joe Cutter. Most orientation and mobility
> > instructors are not experts in the area of early childhood
> > development. This means that, in my observation, they are often unable
> > to identify the differences between developmental/cognitive issues and
> > specific blindness issues. There is some very good evidence showing
> > why the idea of a pre-cane device does not do what proponents claim it
> > does. If you really feel that you want to work with the o&m people in
> > your district, I strongly encourage you to educate yourself in the
> > area of o&m skills for young children. Joe's book has been quoted on
> > this list before and can easily be found with a Google search.
> >
> > I'm sure you'll find lots of opinions out there on what is best for
> > your son. But, you are the one who will live with the consequences if
> > a particular opinion you adopt turns out to adversely effect him. Many
> > times the particular professional who advised you on this or that
> > approach will be transfer the next year and will never see your child
> > again.  Your opinion is the only one, as his parent, that truly
> > matters. Thus, your opinion needs to be based on the facts which you
> > have discovered for yourself, and not on what some well-meaning
> > professional tells you. The more I work with young blind children and
> > their parents (and I've been doing it for over 25 years now) the more
> > I am convinced the parents cannot rely on the opinions of the various
> > professionals they meet. No one will consider your child's specific
> > needs and characteristics, his preferences and special abilities,
> > fears etc. like you will. You cannot expect a professional to have the
> > same grasp of your child's situation that you will have.
> >
> > Also, it is important that you have a realistic grasp of the political
> > nature of this issue. There are people with early childhood training,
> > as well as people who have blind children for whom they had to fight
> > to get correct services, who have very different views on the best
> > approach to developing independent movement and travel in young blind
> > children, from many paid professionals in the system. As a parent, it
> > is important that you investigate both sides of the argument and
> > decide what you want for your son. If someone recommends that you
> > refuse a cane for your son, and that you give him a pre-cane device
> > instead, and he uses it, without much change or development in his
> > independent movement after six months, you can't get those 6 months
> > back; they're lost to him. If you have a cane for him to use as well
> > as letting him try out the pre-cane device, then you will have given
> > him options. Furthermore, if you understand the solid developmental
> > basis for early cane introduction, then you will know what you're
> > aiming for and can work with your child. It is common for o&m
> > instructors to see young children for about an hour a week. Have you
> > observed how much the average 3-year-old boy moves around in one week?
> > There's no reason why Jack shouldn't move around the same amount if he
> > has the skills and confidence to do so. You must be his primary
> > teacher and the sheer joy of independent movement and its inherent
> > challenges will be his motivator.
> >
> > I so encourage you to investigate for yourself and not simply trust
> > the professionals. I am passionate about this topic so I hope my
> > opinion has been encouraging and not unsettling for you.
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Heather Field
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Marie Smith" <empwrn at bellsouth.net>
> > To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
> > <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 8:48 AM
> > 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
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> 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/empwrn%40bellsou
> >> th.net
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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/missheather%40co
> mcast.net
> >
> >
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------
> 
> 
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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/branlw%40sbcglob
> al.net
> >
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/empwrn%40bellsou
> th.net