[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

Carol Castellano blindchildren at verizon.net
Thu Jan 21 05:08:09 UTC 2010


I dunno.  Maybe it's like driving.  We (society) have decided on an 
age before which we don't think kids are mature enough.  There may be 
a 12 year old or two who would be able to handle all the 
responsibilities, but we don't extend the option down that far.
Carol

At 11:18 AM 1/20/2010, you wrote:
>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.
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>blindkid mailing list
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>>>.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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