Category — 2.5 Children with Sensory Impairments

Children with sensory impairments have difficulty with seeing (vision impairments; blindness), hearing (hearing impairments; deafness), or both senses, with varying degrees of vision and hearing (deaf-blindness) (see ECI Glossary).

Sensory impairments may be present at birth as a consequence of a genetic or congenital condition. Sometimes, injury or trauma, or poor environmental conditions (see ECI Glossary) may also result in sensory loss.

Infants and young children with sensory impairments have fewer opportunities than their peers for what is called “casual” or “incidental learning” (see ECI Glossary). Early intervention is critical to ensure these children’s optimal development¹.

Parents and caregivers need to find out about the unique developmental traits of children with sensory impairments.  Knowing about what is new in research and technology will allow them to better access resources and learn about intervention strategies.

Resources: http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/Deaf-Blindness.aspx