Deafblindness 1284866 223416945 2008-07-03T23:57:21Z Filll 2379776 /* See also */ already in article [[Image:Helen Keller.jpg|thumb|Deafblind American author, activist, and lecturer [[Helen Keller]] in [[1905]]]] '''Deafblindness''' is the condition of little or no useful [[visual perception|sight]] and little or no useful [[hearing (sense)|hearing]]. As with the word "[[Deaf]]," it can be capitalized to indicate that it is a culture; some prefer the spelling "DeafBlind". Deafblind people have an experience quite distinct from people who are only deaf or only [[blindness|blind]]. ==Communication== Deafblind people communicate in many different ways determined by the nature of their condition, the age of onset, and what resources are available to them. For example, someone who grew up deaf and experienced vision loss later in life is likely to use a [[sign language]] (in a visually-modified or tactual form). Others who grew up blind and later became deaf are more likely to use a tactile mode of their spoken/written language. Methods of communication include: * Use of residual hearing (speaking clearly, [[hearing aid]]s) or sight (signing within a restricted visual field, writing with large print). * [[Tactile signing]] — [[sign language]] or a manual alphabet such as the [[American Manual Alphabet]], or [[Two-handed manual alphabet#Deafblind alphabet|DeafBlind Alphabet]] (also known as "two-hand manual") with tactile or visual modifications. * [[Interpreting]] services (such as sign language interpreters or communication aides) * Communication devices such as [[Tellatouch]], and its computerized version known as the TeleBraille. Multisensory methods have been used to help deafblind people enhance their communication skills. These can be taught to very young children with developmental delays (to help with pre-intentional communication), young people with learning difficulties, or older people, including those with dementia. One such process is [[Tacpac]]. ==Causes== There are over 70 known causes of deafblindness{{ref|causes}}. Causes can be categorised into two groups: acquired and congenital. ===Acquired=== The majority of people with sight and hearing impairments have had both sight and hearing throughout most of their lives, and experienced a loss of those senses through illness, injury or age. According to sense.org.uk, about 4% of people over 60 in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] have both hearing and vision impairments. Most people with acquired sight and hearing loss retain some useful sight and/or hearing. Some people have congenital deafness and acquired blindness (such as [[glaucoma]] or [[cataracts]]) or vice-versa. ===Congenital=== Children born deaf and blind are described as having congenital deafblindness. This condition may be due to prenatal infection (such as [[rubella]]), [[Genetic disorder|genetic/chromosomal syndromes]] (such as [[Down syndrome]]), birth trauma or [[Fetal alcohol syndrome|maternal heavy alcohol]] and drug use. Some congenital conditions will not cause deafblindness until later in life. Sense.org.uk reports that the biggest cause of deafblindness in children in the [[western world]] today is 'unknown.' Maternal rubella was once the major cause of deafness and deafblindness in the west, but is now rare due to widespread vaccination programs. [[Usher syndrome]] is also a major contributor to deafblindness. It is a genetic condition of people born [[deaf]] or [[hard of hearing]], who gradually start to lose their sight. The sight loss usually begins in late childhood and is caused by an eye condition known as [[Retinitis Pigmentosa]]. Early symptoms include [[night blindness]] and [[tunnel vision|loss of peripheral vision]]. It affects 3-6% of the people in the UK who were born deaf or partially hearing (sense.org.uk). ==Deafblind people in history== * [[Francisco Goya]] (1746–1828): a Spanish painter, deaf and blind by the time of his death. [http://www.reviewpainting.com/Francisco-Goya.htm] * Victorine Morriseau (1789–1832): First deafblind person to be educated in Paris * James Mitchell (1795–1869): congenitally deafblind son of Scottish minister * [[Hieronymus Lorm]] (19th century): inventor and novelist * Sanzan Tani (1802–1867): Japanese teacher who became deaf in childhood and blind later in life, communicating with students by touch. * [[Laura Bridgman]] (1829–1889): first deafblind child to be successfully educated in the US * [[Mary Bradley]] (?–1866): first deafblind child to be successfully educated in the UK * Joseph Hague (?–?): second deafblind child to be successfully educated in the UK * [[Julia Brace]] (1807–1884) * Eliza Cooter (1841–1860) * Robert Dewar (1860–1877) * Jay Lander (1871–1941): Finland * [[Ragnhild Kåta]] (1873–1947): Norway * Yvonne Pitrois (1880–1937): French biographer * [[Helen Keller]] (1880–1968): author, activist, and lecturer * [[Alice Betteridge]] (1901–1966): first deafblind Australian to be educated. Teacher, traveller, writer. * [[Jack Clemo]] (1916–1994): British poet who became deafblind as an adult * Raimo Williams (1917–1945) * Robert Smithdas (1925–): the first DeafBlind person in the US to receive a master's degree. * Georgia Griffith (circa 1930–) * John J. Boyer (1936–) * Richard Kinney (born 1923): Educator, lecturer, and poet; president of the [[Hadley School for the Blind]] from 1975 to 1979. * Danny Delcambre (born 1959) * Theresa Poh Lin Chan (born c. 1944) * [[Aletrishe Nietrà]]'s granddaughter Sillian (1989-1994) ==See also== *[[Tadoma]] *[[Usher Syndrome]] *[[White cane]] (used by blind people to assist them in walking) *[[Congenital rubella syndrome]] *[[Tommy (rock opera)|''Tommy'' (rock opera)]] ==References== # {{note|causes}} [http://www.sense.org.uk/what_is_deafblindness/ What is deafblindness?], [http://www.sense.org.uk/Home.htm Sense for deafblind people] [[website]] # {{note|causes}} [http://www.sense.org.uk/media_centre/general_information/allcauses.htm Causes of Deafblindness], [http://www.sense.org.uk/Home.htm Sense for deafblind people] [[website]]; a partial list of causes of deafblindness # {{note|causes}} [http://www.senseintindia.org Sense International (India)], an NGO working with deafblind people ==External links== *http://www.direct.gov.uk/disability - Directgov disabled people - UK govt information *[http://www.sense.org.uk Sense - UK charity for Deafblindness] *[http://www.deaf-blind.org The Center for Deaf-Blind Persons] *[http://www.deafblindinfo.org/FAQ.asp Frequently Asked Questions About DeafBlindness] - Detailed info about what it's like to be deafblind (communication, mobility, cultural identity, quality of life, etc.) *http://www.wfdb.org — World Federation of the Deafblind *http://www.aadb.org — American Association of the Deaf-Blind *http://www.senseintindia.org — Sense International (India)-Working with Deafblind People in India *http://www.cdbrabc.ca/ Canadian Deafblind and Rubella Association-BC Chapter *[http://www.nalagaat.org.il/ Nalaga'at (Hebrew: "Do Touch") - deafblind theater group] *[http://www.deafblind.com/ A-Z to Deafblindness] *[http://deafness.about.com/od/deafblind/a/dbtriplets.htm Deafblind Triplet Daughters] *[http://www.tr.wou.edu/dblink/what-is-db.htm What is Deaf-Blindness?] *[http://www.sense.org.uk/publications/allpubs/communication/C01.htm Fact sheet from Sense in the UK about deaf-blind communication] *[http://www.hearseehope.com Hear See Hope Foundation] *[http://www.deafblind.com/card.html Deafblind Manual Alphabet] *[http://www.dbmat.org Deaf Blind Education News] *[http://www.deafblind.com/block.html Block Alphabet] *[http://www.geocities.com/dblnj/dbreport.html Orientation to deaf blind] - a good overview of deafblindness *[http://www.theinterpretersfriend.com/db/rsorcs.html Resources for working with Deafblind people] - an excellent collection of links and resources *[http://www.dblink.org DB-LINK (USA) The National Information Clearinghouse on Children Who Are Deaf-Blind] Information to nurture, empower, and instruct children who are deaf-blind *[http://jeroenarendsen.nl/2006/05/signs-that-made-life-worth-living/ Signs that Made a Life Worth Living] *[http://www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/lbyt.htm Language by Touch] - the story of Mary Bradley and Joseph Hague [[Category:Deafness]] [[Category:deaf culture]] [[Category:Disability]] [[Category:Deafblind people| ]] [[ca:Sordceguesa]] [[cs:Hluchoslepota]] [[da:Døvblindhed]] [[de:Taubblindheit]] [[es:Sordoceguera]] [[nl:Doofblindheid]] [[ja:盲ろう者]] [[pt:Surdocegueira]] [[ru:Слепоглухота]] [[fi:Kuurosokeus]] [[sv:Dövblindhet]]