[blindkid] Stages of cane use?

[Samantha Parker]

I agree with "tough love" in a safe way!  My 6 year old doesn't use a sweeping motion in front and wow...she misses things...all I have to say is "Bev, that's why I tell you..." and she finishes with "sweep your cane." 


--- On Mon, 4/11/11, Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org> wrote:

From: Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org>
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Stages of cane use?
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Date: Monday, April 11, 2011, 11:08 AM

Merry-Noel and Brandy both make good points. Our daughter spent a good deal of time dragging the cane behind her for a while. No matter what, I'd remind him that you're glad he has his cane with him because if he starts leaving it or throwing it down then you have another battle to fight.

When Kendra would fail to use her cane properly, apart from reminding her over and over, I'd sometimes  let her walk into things, trip, and sometimes even enhance the opportunity for her to have a minor crash. (That may overstate, but I would not always give her any verbal warning of something in her way for example.) Mind you, I was always poised and ready to grab her when she was very little before a major crash or fall. It sounds a little mean, but far better to have a few trips and falls when we're there to help than for her than to figure someone will always be around to guide her. Someday, we won't be there, and we know that.

Ultimately, we could often make this into a funny discussion and avoid any crashes up front-- "Your cane is telling you what's behind you-- you already know where you've been. Don't you want to know what's in front of you?"... That sort of thing. Kendra uses her cane very well now, but at times she still "floats" her cane in the air and stops clearing her path properly. Then I may remind her that her cane is just telling her what's in the air in front of her-- not on the ground, but after that, I will let her trip herself on a curb or stair if it is in a fairly safe place (no cars nearby, nothing major to fall over if she stumbles). It is all sort of a calculated risk in "tough love" trying to let her learn from small mistakes to avoid huge ones later on.

Richard



On Apr 10, 2011, at 8:47 PM, Merry-Noel Chamberlain wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Marie,
> Has Jack ever had O&M without using his eyes; aka using sleepshades?  Perhaps I would try that.  If wearing shades is difficult for him - locate a dark room (a room that has no windows) and shut off the lights.  Sometimes I use a school gym.  I will play games in the gym such as Red-light, Green-Light with no light on.  We practice running in there, too.  This builds some confidance in the cane.  Also, tell Jack he needs to hold his head up when he walks because that is the proper posture.  By wearing sleep-shades he learns the cane lets him know things such as curbs and stairs.  Prase him (or the cane - smile) when you notice that his cane found something that his feet didn't find.  Walking faster helps quite a bit.
> Merry-Noel
> 
> --- On Sun, 4/10/11, Marie <empwrn at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Marie <empwrn at bellsouth.net>
> Subject: [blindkid] Stages of cane use?
> To: "Blindkid email" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Sunday, April 10, 2011, 11:19 PM
> 
> 
> I am getting very frustrated with Jack who is slowing down and using his feet rather than maintaining his rhythm and using his cane to find curbs/obstacles. Yet he insists on carrying his cane. Is this just a phase? Tips anyone?
> 
> 
> Marie (mother of Jack, born May 2005)
> Check out our blog at http://www.allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com for glimpses into our busy life with a boy who is busy growing and developing in his own way in his own time
> 
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