Our son has detached retinas, and the most wonderful set of John Deere green glasses that you would hope to see. He sees the eye doctor and reads big print. O.K. At five when you are learning to read it is all pretty big print. He will probably always need bigger print, but we adjusted and dealt with it.
So when our daughter came along and I heard the words "vision issues" again, I just figured glasses done.
Well I started hearing other words. Like Cortically Blind. From the official papers we got with her she was a light seeker, which means she can see light. How much we don't know. We also learned that glasses cannot fix this. Or surgery. Because she was born at 25 weeks her eyes were damaged. Top it off with nearsightedness and irregular optic nerves and you have a child with vision impairment.
In the beginning I tried to blow it off. I thought surely she will see someday. After all we are getting vision therapy. Lots of people told me they were sure that her eyes were getting better. Look at what she is grasping now.
But as time wore on I started to realize something. I would walk into her room silently and she wouldn't look at me. Her mama. Her speech therapist was the first one to gently, but firmly tell me, "Amy, she does not see the way you want her to. She may never be able to do that. Cary is relying on her hearing to get by. Maybe you should look into other ways of doing some of her tasks."
It hit me hard when I was reading to her. I love to read. I read anything and everything. I read to my kids. While I was reading to Cary trying to engage her in the book I realized that her vision was anywhere but the pictures. I cried. Tons. How would my child ever read?
There are moments when you stop being a hopeful parent and become a realist parent. So I turned to my friends at the Virginia School of the Deaf and Blind. A woman there promptly sent me tons of information on braille and books for kids in braille.
So after reading and processing it I sent off e-mail requests for books. I got put on two waiting lists as the need is great. But one place answered my requests quickly.
There name is the national braille press. I was able to obtain for free two bags full of goodies to help us in this new journey. The bags were so full of helpful stuff. The most exciting for my kids were the books. In Braille. Here is a picture of Cary's book in braille.
You can see the braille bumps on the bottom. It also has words for us braille illiterate people. The book is in long handed braille. There is a more abbreviated version of it and I expect I will be learning it. The bags came with lessons, tips, and hints for parents. It talked about the importance of letting the child explore and not dragging their hands across it all. So I let my son and daughter explore. My son refuse to cooperate for pictures, but Cary couldn't escape the camera. Here she is exploring her book.
Cary is fascinated by the braille. I am fascinated by the fact that if I start her young, like now, and she has instruction in braille on a regular basis she will read just as well as a sighted reader. That is exciting and gives me hope. She may even out read her brother:). But that is a different post.
So as my title states, braille matters. It is what will unlock the keys to literacy for my children. I would encourage you if your child has problems with vision, don't put it off. Don't think that it is going to get better. It may not. There are so many great sites out there. The one I got all the great stuff from (nbp.org) will send you free bags to help you out on this new world. Because my kids matter. Because helping them be all that they can be matters.
Amy Fields is a mom of two special needs kids adopted out of foster care. She is always trying to find ways to advocate for her kids. You can follow her at her blog, Many Kinds of Families.
Omg that is amazing
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post and gorgeous kid
shijun 6.1
ReplyDeletelouis vuitton outlet
michael kors uk
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton handbags
christian louboutin outlet
michael kors handbags
soccer jerseys
coach outlet
true religion
true religion sale
true religion sale
michael kors outlet
coach factory outlet
michael kors handbags
coach outlet online
michael kors outlet
fake watches
cheap oakleys
celine outlet online
louboutin
louis vuitton outlet
jordan 11
louis vuitton
burberry
abercrombie store new york
concord 11
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton
jordan 3 infrared
abercrombie fitch
tory burch shoes
coach outlet
michael kors outlet online
louis vuitton
white timberland boots
chanel no 5
fendi
ray ban sunglasses
fitflops
michael kors outlet
20150714 junda
ReplyDeletepolo outlet
tory burch outlet online
michael kors watches
oakley store
true religion jeans
ralph lauren pas cher
cheap oakley sunglasses
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors
kate spade outlet
coach outlet online
michael kors
cheap ray bans
michael kors handbags
kate spade handbags
coach factory outlet
ray bans
tory burch handbags
tn pas cher
ray-ban sunglasse
tory burch outlet
true religion
jorda femme pas cher
michael kors
louis vuitton sacs
gucci sito ufficiale
ed hardy clothing uk
burberry sale
ralph lauren homme
louis vuitton sito ufficiale
oakley sunglasses outlet
mont blanc
kate spade bags
gucci uk
beats by dre
ray ban glasses
cheap air max
polo ralph lauren uk
true religion sale
soccer jerseys for sale
christian louboutin,louboutin,louboutin outlet,louboutin outlet italia,scarpe louboutin
ReplyDeletetrue religion jeans, http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com
kobe 9
manchester united jersey
abercrombie
cheap soccer jerseys
stuart weitzman boots
ugg outlet, http://www.uggsoutlet.us.org
swarovski uk
los angeles lakers jerseys
mont blanc
christian louboutin outlet
michael kors outlet
lacoste outlet
tory burch outlet
michael kors outlet online
ray ban sunglasses, http://www.rayban-sunglassess.us.com/
celine outlet online
air jordan shoes
tory burch outlet
miami dolphins jerseys
jordan shoes, http://www.jordan-shoes.us.com
tory burch outlet
air jordan 4
oklahoma city thunder jerseys
michael kors outlet store, http://www.michaelkorsoutlet-store.us.com
insanity
true religion outlet, http://www.truereligionjeansoutlet.com
coach outlet, http://www.coachoutletstoreonline.in.net/
lebron james shoes
2015908caihuali
jimmy choo, toms shoes outlet, michael kors, nike free 5.0, designer handbags, harrods, ralph lauren outlet online, burberry outlet, gucci handbags, cheap true religion, adidas schuhe, converse shoes, yoga pants, air max 90, ralph lauren polo, woolrich sale, north face, ugg boots, ed hardy, rolex watches, iphone cases, christian louboutin, prada shoes, adidas, polo ralph lauren, true religion jeans, hermes, the north face, ralph lauren, thomas sabo, cheap oakley sunglasses, longchamp outlet, cheap coach purses, ugg boots, louis vuitton,
ReplyDelete2015-10-21 xiaozhengm
ReplyDeletecoach outlet online
Ugg Boots,Ugg Boots Outlet,Ugg Outlet,Cheap Uggs,Uggs On Sale,Ugg Boots Clearance,Uggs For Women
Air Jordan 3 "Infrared 23"
michael kors outlet online
louis vuitton handbags
Michael Kors Outlet Handbags Wholesale
michael kors outlet
Authentic Louis Vuitton Handbags Outlet
Red Bottom Shoes Christian Louboutin
ugg sale
uggs clearance
jordans for sale
Jordan Retro 8 Playoffs
michale kors outlet
coach outlet store online
Authentic Gucci Factory Outlet
Canada Goose,Canada Goose Outlet,Canada Goose Jackets,Canada Goose Sale
canada goose jackets
coach factory outlet
Michael Kors Online Store Outlet
coach factory outlet
Authentic Coach Factory Outlet Online
Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Outlet
michael kors handbags
canada goose jackets
ugg boots on sale
abercrombie and fitch
air max 95
toms
Air Jordan Shoes For Women And Men
Jordan Retro 8 Playoffs
Toms Shoes Sale Clearance
ralph lauren uk
Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM Monogram
canada goose outlet
chenlina20151128
ReplyDeleteoakley sunglasses cheap
louis vuitton outlet
jordan 11
hollister co
abercrombie kids
mulberry handbags
ugg boots sale
jordan retro
michael kors outlet
beats by dre
ugg sale
polo ralph lauren
cheap jordans
canada goose outlet
michael kors outlet
toms outlet
oakley outlet
longchamp outlet
cheap oakley sunglasses
ugg boots outlet
oakley sunglasses
timberland outlet
coach outlet online
coach outlet online
pandora jewelry
air jordans
michaek kors outlet
supra shoes
oakley sunglasses
adidas uk
coach outlet store online
abercrombie
ed hardy clothing
north face outlet
air max 90
prada handbags
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet
ray ban sunglasses
hollister co,hollister jeans,hollister.com,hollister ca
as
cyber monday 2015
ReplyDeletekobe bryant shoes
oakley sunglasses wholesale
mulberry handbags
tory burch outlet
ugg outlet
true religion outlet
michael kors outlet
oakley
basketball shoes
thomas sabo uk
juicy couture outlet
swarovski crystal
michael kors wholesale
lululemon outlet
michael kors online
tiffany and co
tiffany outlet
canada goose jackets
true religion jeans
michael kors factory outlet
hermes outlet
mulberry outlet
ray ban sunglasses
lululemon outlet
michael kors outlet
ghd hair straighteners
herve leger outlet
polo ralph lauren
ugg australia
cheap oakley sunglasses
prada outlet
michael kors factory outlet
michael kors outlet store
ray ban sunglasses
true religion uk
michael kors handbags
ralph lauren polo
nike air force 1
montblanc pens
1218maoqiuyun
christian louboutin outlet
ReplyDeletecoachoutlet.com
vans shoes
ugg factory outlet online
michael kors bags
michael kors outlet online
kd basketball shoes
jordan shoes
Coach Outlet Online
cheap coach purses
ugg boots clearance
Coach Handbag
hermes birkin bag
mont blanc
marc jacobs bags
air jordan 11
air jordan 6
celine outlet online
michael kors outlet online
gucci.com
Coach Mens Wallet
jordan shoes
christian louboutin outlet
converse sale
fitflops clearance
coach factory outlet
toms outlet
Coach Factory Outlet
prada handbags
fitflops clearance
kobe shoes
coach factory outlet online
coach factory
louboutin outlet
canada goose discount
gucci sunglasses outlet
cheap purses michael kors
coach purses outlet
gucci handbags
rolex watches
cheap jordan shoes
the north face outlet
prada handbags
michael kors outlet store
the north face sale
coach factory outlet
michael kors outlet online sale
coach shoes
qwe1.12