[blindkid] Working on our technique!

[Richard Holloway]

I love seeing any photos of blind kids exploring their world with  
confidence!

I don't know if the term is commonplace or not but I have heard this  
referred to as a "staff grip" which for us came up first when walking  
up stairs-- Kendra would hold the cane like this and push or lightly  
twist the bottom away from herself. Every time you go up a step the  
cane jumps forward (as you clear a step) and bumps into the next  
higher step so you know you have another step to go. This helps avoid  
the frustrating situation where you try to "step up" onto one more  
stair than there really is (or kicking a stair when you're not al the  
way up). Once you reach the top, the cane "floats" out so you know  
that's the landing then you can switch to a more appropriate grip to  
travel on.

There may be other good uses for that grip and better approaches for  
the stairs too, but as far as I'm concerned, especially with a young  
child new to cane travel, ANY additional feedback they get from a cane  
(as opposed to having no cane) is useful and good. Over time,  
techniques and grips can be refined and improved but we don't need our  
kids to sit and wait to become mobile until they have "mastered" all  
techniques.

Keep up the good work, Jack! (You too Marie!)

Richard




On Apr 10, 2010, at 12:03 PM, Marie wrote:

> Is this sort of like the pencil grip?
> Marie (mother of Jack, 4 years old with Apert Syndrome)
> http://allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com