[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
Albert J Rizzi
albert at myblindspot.org
Thu Jan 21 02:37:39 UTC 2010
My research tells me that there are 15 million people with a visual
impairment and of those percentages from usable vision to complete blindness
only 10,000 use guide dogs according to school figures and add to that
maybe 1000 or more owner trained, and then reported figures of only 115,000
cane users, probably not taking into account children and youth. The only
reason guide dogs are 2nd to cane use is there is no other option for
independent mobility, perhaps if we nurtured this option for our blind youth
there would be a shift in more then just choices in mobility but doors will
be opened for choices in education, employment, etc. freedom to move and
freedom to choose are key for our youth. Let them get a guide, if they can
meet the standards who are we to deny them the option simply because some
think that their parents would be helping them with veterinary decisions and
the like. When I got my first car I turned to my dad to learn how to care
for my car and he taught me. I did not wait until I was 21 to consider
choosing that option for my mobility and then learn about cars over night. A
child is as responsible as the parents raised them to be and who are we to
determine if that parent did a sufficient job or not? A responsibly raised
child should have all the responsibility and options they can handle.
Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York 10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."
Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Heather
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:40 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
I have to disagree with one statement that you made, regarding Guide Dogs
not being a primary means of mobility for most blind adults. Not counting
senior citizens who are blind because of their old age and complications
there of, guide dogs are second only to canes in terms of numbers of people
using them for mobility, and they are no small fraction of the number of
cane travelers. I don't know the most recent statistic off the top of my
head, but we are talking about a half or a third here, not one point
something percent comparatively. One must also take in to consideration
blind individuals with mental retardation or severe multiple disabilities,
as these persons would not, of course, be considered for guide dogs. So,
out of blind individuals who have average or above mental functioning, and
who are not septagenerians, I would guess that guide dogs make up half, or
even more than half of the choice mobility aids. I will agree that many
other factors must be taken into consideration, other than age, primarily
living skills compitance, mibility aptitude and personality and temperment
of the perspective handeler. That is absolutely true, but I was asking
purely about the age component. Thanks for your thoughts.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
> Carol,
>
> Having no direct knowledge of the process by which guide dog ownership
> and placement is determined, I would assume that your main concerns would
> (or should) all be addressed in the process of applying to get a guide
> dog for people of ANY age, is it not?
>
> It seems like guide dogs are not the primary choice of most blind adults
> and I would suspect they are appropriate for even a smaller percentage of
> young people, but I cannot see the harm in additional study to determine
> if this is a good and helpful option for some (however few) kids under
> 16.
>
> To be sure, your concerns are well received and I agree with them in
> general, but again, I am very hesitant to decide something is a bad idea
> for everyone when (as far as I know) this has really never been tried. I
> guess what I'm driving at the most is I think this would be best
> determined by many factors apart from age, per se. One person might be
> ready at 12 or 15, Another, not until his or her mid-20's (if ever).
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 20, 2010, at 10:53 AM, Carol Castellano wrote:
>
>> Well, I'll chime in with a different view. My experience observing
>> young guide dog users leads me to believe that even at 16 or 17, it is
>> the RARE young person who has the required all-around ability to use a
>> guide dog. I have no statistics for this; my opinion is based only on
>> observations...over the past 20 years or so.
>>
>> Another concern I would have for allowing a 12-year-old to use a dog is
>> that in order to be a good traveler with a dog, the blind person needs
>> to be a good traveler in general. A person would need a lot of
>> experience in all aspects of travel in order to be successful with a
>> dog. For example, much information needs to be kept in mind when
>> traveling without the direct contact with landmarks, etc., that cane
>> travel provides. How many 12-year-olds have such experience? Have they
>> traveled much independently at that point?
>>
>> Last but not least, many people out there--some parents included--
>> believe that a guide dog would protect their child and take him/her
>> places safely. They see dog use as a panacea for what they perceive as
>> the travel difficulties and safety issues facing their blind child.
>> This is no basis for getting a guide dog!
>>
>> So, all in all, my feeling would be against this idea.
>>
>> Carol
>>
>> Carol Castellano, President
>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>> 973-377-0976
>> carol_castellano at verizon.net
>> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>>
>> At 10:09 AM 1/20/2010, you wrote:
>>> Here here! Wy set the bar low when in fact a child of 12 years or 13
>>> years
>>> has the capacity and maturity to handle the responsibility? Isn't it
>>> our
>>> responsibility to give all children those tools they need based upon
>>> their
>>> individual abilities to achieve all things possible in their lives. I
>>> do not
>>> see the reason for nor the reluctance to allow any teenager an
>>> opportunity
>>> to exercise their choice for mobility and that it include a guide dog.
>>>
>>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>>> CEO/Founder
>>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>>> New York, New York 10004
>>> www.myblindspot.org
>>> PH: 917-553-0347
>>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who
>>> is
>>> doing it."
>>>
>>>
>>> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid- bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Doreen Frappier
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:40 AM
>>> To: (for parents of blind children)NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>>>
>>> I am not opposed to having responsible 12 year olds own and care for a
>>> guide
>>> dog. I believe that children mature at different rates. For example,
>>> 4-H
>>> children own and care for animals (on their own) at very young ages.
>>> They
>>> are responsible for feeding and caring for that animal. One of my
>>> children,
>>> (sighted) is 13, and has been the sole trainer of a dog since she was 9
>>> years old. She has won many awards and competitions with her dog,
>>> including
>>> adult dog shows. She is responsible for feeding and caring for that
>>> dog.
>>> When the dog gets her check ups at the vet, she comes to the vets
>>> office.
>>> It's true, a young person can not take care of the expenses of a guide
>>> dog,
>>> but I am all for training teaching blind children to be independent as
>>> early
>>> as possible. I think each situation is different. I am not aware of
>>> everything that goes into caring for and owning a guide dog, but I
>>> think
>>> some children are capable and should not be excluded because of
>>> age.
>>>
>>> Doreen
>>>
>>> --- On Wed, 1/20/10, Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> From: Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
>>> Subject: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
>>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>>> Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 7:22 AM
>>>
>>> I just wanted to get some feedback on this from some parents of blind
>>> children and teens. I, personally, was absolutely apalled to hear that
>>> a
>>> local guide dog school, not mentioning names *coughs* Freedom guide
>>> Dogs
>>> *Coughs* has preposed a program to place guide dogs with twelve year
>>> olds.
>>> All of the other schools in the US accept teens no younger than sixteen
>>> or
>>> eighteen years of age, depending on the school, but twelve? I am happy
>>> to
>>> note that at present, no O and M instructors, parents or twelve year
>>> olds
>>> have contacted the school to enquire about this program, but I am
>>> dreading
>>> the day. This makes a mockery of those exceptional blind teens who
>>> are, at
>>> sixteen or seventeen, responsible enough, committed enough and have
>>> demanding enough schedules to properly care for, utalize and actually
>>> need a
>>> guide dog. At what age would you consider supporting your teen in
>>> researching guide dog schools? At what age would you support them
>>> actually
>>> submitting applications? How old would you want your teen to be before
>>> actually being placed with a guide dog? Do you think that you would
>>> have
>>> the blunt honesty to deny your support of your child getting a dog
>>> guide, if
>>> they were not emotionally, mentally, etc capable of utalizing a guide
>>> dog,
>>> at that time in their life? Do you think that you could restrain
>>> yourself
>>> from taking care of the dog, interacting with the dog, or doing things
>>> that
>>> would undermine the ownership of the dog by your blind teen,
>>> acknowledging
>>> their sole ownership and responsibility for the dog, even if you, as
>>> their
>>> mother or father still have all other rule-making power in the
>>> house-hold?
>>> Finally, would you ever, honestly let your twelve year old apply for a
>>> guide
>>> dog? I just felt this should be brought to the list's attention. Just
>>> me
>>> personally, I would not encourage my blind teen to start researching
>>> guide
>>> dog schools until age fourteen or fifteen, and I would not
>>> allow them to apply to schools until they were at least fifteen, and
>>> that
>>> is assuming that they are emotionally ready to deal with the demands of
>>> a
>>> guide dog, such as handeling an emergency vet situation, mentally able
>>> to
>>> care for the dog, such as, researching and selecting safe toys,
>>> effective
>>> medications and appropriate foods, mature enough to deal with the
>>> social
>>> implications, such as access issues, and that they actually had a need,
>>> not
>>> just a want for a guide dog, due to a challenging travel area or
>>> complex and
>>> demanding schedule of activities and classes. Please share your
>>> thoughts.
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
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>>
>>
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>
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