WHAT IS DEAFBLINDNESS?

Definition : Deafblindness is a unique sensory disability of combined loss of hearing and vision which significantly affects communication, socialisation, orientation and mobility, access to information and daily living.

If "deafblind" could be described in two words it would be isolation and chaos.

Hearing and vision are the major channels through which we receive information about the world in which we live. People who are DEAF learn primarily through using their vision, while people who are BLIND learn primarily through using their hearing. When there is a loss of both these senses, the information that is filtered through may be unreliable and confusing, and can create a very chaotic and isolating situation for the person who is DEAFBLIND.

Deafblindness is a severe functional impairment that affects the life and development of the individual in almost all areas of communication and social life. Speech and language development as well as mobility is seriously affected. Not only is the person’s ability to move around in the environment limited, but the ability to survey and monitor events in the surroundings is also highly restricted and feelings of lack of control may cause anxiety, fear and startle reactions when people approach them unexpectedly or when other phenomena occur nearby. The senses of smell and touch are then used as an additional source information for localization and identification.

People who are deafblind are individuals – no two people are affected in exactly the same way with the same degree of vision and hearing loss. Some people are born deafblind, others become deafblind later in life, either progressively or through trauma or illness. The main causes of deafblindness are Congenital Rubella Syndrome, Usher Syndrome and ageing.

Deafblind persons can come from the Blind community and loose their hearing later on, or vice versa. Almost all people who are deafblind have some degree of usable hearing and/or vision. Some people have additional disabilities – physical, intellectual, emotional. As a result the deafblind community is a quite varied one.

Deafblindness is a rare condition, affecting about 100 – 150 person per million. In South Africa this would come to about 4000 – 6000 deafblind people, most whom have not yet been identified :

Many people who are deafblind use unique methods of communication. Some of these methods are :

This is the natural sign language of the Deaf community which can be read by people who are deafblind, using the hand over hand method.

Tactile fingerspelling

fingerspelling received on the palm.

Braille

This is a written form of communication based on an oral language. A system of embossed dots are read with the fingertips. A braille system can also be used on the hands, using 3 fingers on each hand to represent the six dots of braille.

Tadoma

This is a tactile method of reading speech by placing the thumb on the speaker’s lips and the other fingers on the speaker’s neck.

Technical devices

• Object-symbols : use of real objects to represent activities, e.g. a spoon could represent lunch.

• Physical cues and gestures : e.g. shoulder shrug, pointing, thumbs up.

• Communication boards or books : pointing to pictures, symbols, words or objects to communicate.

People who are deafblind can learn to their individual potential if given the appropriate support and opportunities.