How to Communicate With a Deaf and Blind Person
Know that there are a variety of degrees of deaf-blindness, or dual-sensory loss., Be aware that there are a variety of techniques used to communicate by and with people who are deaf and blind., Prepare to face miscommunication., Take the deaf-blind...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know that there are a variety of degrees of deaf-blindness
People with extremely limited sight and hearing can also be considered deaf-blind.
Some people with dual-sensory loss may still have some vision or hearing, however limited.
They may still be able to speak or read in certain instances.
On the flip-side, communication may be limited or restricted to expression of physical needs.
People who are unable to communicate are not dumb, but instead hold a great deal of potential for personal development.
Congenital deaf-blindness is when a person is born without hearing and sight.
This, depending on the level of auditory/visual loss and other factors like environment and other conditions, could greatly affect the individual's communication and basic self-care skills.
Acquired deaf-blindness is developed later in life, through an injury, illness, or age.
People who have had the opportunity to undergo a "normal" childhood are often more adaptable to different methods of communication, especially those involving knowledge such as spelling, a concept of labelling, space and of communication itself.
Congenital deafness/acquired blindness is when someone is born deaf and loses their sight later in life due to injury, age, or illness.
Congenital blindness/acquired deafness happens when someone is born without sight, and then later loses their hearing due to injury, illness, or age. -
Step 2: or dual-sensory loss.
Each person is different.
Because there is so much variance in the degree of sensory loss, and because overcoming these limitations is a massive challenge, there is much variance in the ways the deaf and blind navigate communication, including:
Speech Written communication Graphic and non-tactile symbols Tactile symbols and object cues Gestures/movement cues Facial expressions or noises which indicate a feeling or opinion Manual sign language Tactile sign language Braille Touch cuesSymbolic action (e.g. taking you to the tap for a drink) , In certain cases, it may not be possible for the general public to communicate with the deaf-blind.
It is not uncommon for trained communication partners to have difficulty or even fail entirely to communicate effectively with their deaf-blind partner.
Frequently, people who are unable to properly communicate with the deaf-blind choose to ignore the communication or the person altogether.Do not do this, but rather, see if there is someone else who can understand what the person is trying to express or a different method of doing so.
Do not give up. , Hands are the ears, eyes, and voice of many people who are both deaf and blind.
Being hand-in-hand allows for continued communication through the physical connection.
A person who is deaf and blind may not realize you are trying to engage him.
Taking his hands enables him to experience your attempt to interact and communicate to him and to connect together physically. , Be open to anything the medical experts can recommend.
Even a small improvement can improve the quality and/or quantity of sight and/or hearing, which in turn could improve communication.
Be especially pushy about assessment and action if the deaf-blind individual is a child, as this is the critical period (most important time) for development and will affect the child's communication for the rest of their life.
If possible, get the medical practitioner to test the type of hearing loss the individual has.
Different hearing aids may have varying levels of success depending on where the problem in hearing lies.
As well as typical inner-ear hearing aids, ask about bone-conducting hearing aids, which can be fitted on headbands and glasses for ease of wearing.
Tests should ideally be conducted several times, especially if communication is a considerable issue.
This ensures that results are accurate, rather than representing a day when the person was not feeling communicative. -
Step 3: Be aware that there are a variety of techniques used to communicate by and with people who are deaf and blind.
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Step 4: Prepare to face miscommunication.
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Step 5: Take the deaf-blind person's hands.
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Step 6: Seek medical advice about both senses.
Detailed Guide
People with extremely limited sight and hearing can also be considered deaf-blind.
Some people with dual-sensory loss may still have some vision or hearing, however limited.
They may still be able to speak or read in certain instances.
On the flip-side, communication may be limited or restricted to expression of physical needs.
People who are unable to communicate are not dumb, but instead hold a great deal of potential for personal development.
Congenital deaf-blindness is when a person is born without hearing and sight.
This, depending on the level of auditory/visual loss and other factors like environment and other conditions, could greatly affect the individual's communication and basic self-care skills.
Acquired deaf-blindness is developed later in life, through an injury, illness, or age.
People who have had the opportunity to undergo a "normal" childhood are often more adaptable to different methods of communication, especially those involving knowledge such as spelling, a concept of labelling, space and of communication itself.
Congenital deafness/acquired blindness is when someone is born deaf and loses their sight later in life due to injury, age, or illness.
Congenital blindness/acquired deafness happens when someone is born without sight, and then later loses their hearing due to injury, illness, or age.
Each person is different.
Because there is so much variance in the degree of sensory loss, and because overcoming these limitations is a massive challenge, there is much variance in the ways the deaf and blind navigate communication, including:
Speech Written communication Graphic and non-tactile symbols Tactile symbols and object cues Gestures/movement cues Facial expressions or noises which indicate a feeling or opinion Manual sign language Tactile sign language Braille Touch cuesSymbolic action (e.g. taking you to the tap for a drink) , In certain cases, it may not be possible for the general public to communicate with the deaf-blind.
It is not uncommon for trained communication partners to have difficulty or even fail entirely to communicate effectively with their deaf-blind partner.
Frequently, people who are unable to properly communicate with the deaf-blind choose to ignore the communication or the person altogether.Do not do this, but rather, see if there is someone else who can understand what the person is trying to express or a different method of doing so.
Do not give up. , Hands are the ears, eyes, and voice of many people who are both deaf and blind.
Being hand-in-hand allows for continued communication through the physical connection.
A person who is deaf and blind may not realize you are trying to engage him.
Taking his hands enables him to experience your attempt to interact and communicate to him and to connect together physically. , Be open to anything the medical experts can recommend.
Even a small improvement can improve the quality and/or quantity of sight and/or hearing, which in turn could improve communication.
Be especially pushy about assessment and action if the deaf-blind individual is a child, as this is the critical period (most important time) for development and will affect the child's communication for the rest of their life.
If possible, get the medical practitioner to test the type of hearing loss the individual has.
Different hearing aids may have varying levels of success depending on where the problem in hearing lies.
As well as typical inner-ear hearing aids, ask about bone-conducting hearing aids, which can be fitted on headbands and glasses for ease of wearing.
Tests should ideally be conducted several times, especially if communication is a considerable issue.
This ensures that results are accurate, rather than representing a day when the person was not feeling communicative.
About the Author
Stephanie Hill
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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