Early Intervention: Helping Babies with Visual Impairments

Every state and every area should have access to early intervention. If  the hospital where your child was born has diagnosed the need at birth they should direct you. If you recognize or suspect a problem later your child's pediatrician can direct you.

Early interventionist come to your home while the child is age 0-3. Not just for vision but if the child needs OT, PT Speech... Many of my babies from my preschool class had EIs and the one for VI was so awesome that when each child was about to be three years old she would come to me and tell me about the candidates for my class for multi-disabled babies or for my neighbor who had the preschool class for "vanilla blind" babies. Fortunately, when I was transferred from the preschool class, I was able to see some of my kids and the next door kids again in other schools in classes with sighted children. Some of them left for the school for the blind but because of EA most our children are able to remain in their home schools and attend their neighborhood schools. Even my nephew, born at 5 months gestation had EA. He is now attending a university on a scholarship!

This is a powerful video that shows the lives and progress of young children with visual impairments who participate in the Florida Department of Education Division of Blind Services-funded Lighthouse Early Intervention Program. You will hear first-hand accounts from parents and service providers, and see how much the children have advanced as a result of the program.

Early Intervention services are provided to children from birth to Kindergarten. Services are provided to the child and family in the child's home, day care, school, neighborhood or center-based setting. Learning is structured to maximize the visual and developmental progress of each child. Early Intervention services are critical in preventing unnecessary developmental delays due to vision impairment. Children and families served in the Early Intervention program are empowered to participate in and benefit from activities in the home, community, and school setting. Family participation in the development and delivery of the service plan is an essential component of the Early Intervention program.

Video used with permission from Lighthouse of Central Florida http://www.lighthousecentralflorida.o...

http://youtu.be/6rbHOAtBNew

Seeking Care Without Sight

Colombia is First Country in the World to Eliminate Parasitic Disease River Blindness

[Source: http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/news/2013/08/colombia-is-first-country-in-the-world-to-eliminate-parasitic-disease-river-blindness.aspx]

Colombia has been verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated the parasitic disease onchocerciasis (known as “river blindness”), thus becoming the first country in the world to achieve this goal.

In an official notification letter, WHO director-general Margaret Chan congratulated the government of Colombia and urged it to “maintain vigilance to detect any future outbreaks” of the disease, which continues to circulate in other countries of Latin America.

 Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO’s Regional Office for the Americas, said Colombia’s achievement is “an example of commitment, persistence, and integrated work” and noted that the Americas Region has shown leadership in fighting this and other neglected infectious diseases. She also called for “redoubling efforts to eliminate the disease” in five other countries of this hemisphere, namely, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela, which are working toward achieving this same objective.

The official announcement came during a meeting in Bogotá led by Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos and minister of health and social protection Alejandro Gaviria, with participants including former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, director of the Carter Center, which spearheaded the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program of the Americas (OEPA), supporting actions to eliminate the disease. PAHO’s assistant director, José Romero Teruel, and the PAHO/WHO representative in Colombia, Gina Watson, also participated in the meeting.

Colombia achieved elimination of onchocerciasis following 16 years of concerted efforts led by Colombia’s National Institute of Health with support from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Secretariat of Health of the Department of Cauca, academic and research institutions, OEPA, and PAHO/WHO.

Article continued at this link: http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/news/2013/08/colombia-is-first-country-in-the-world-to-eliminate-parasitic-disease-river-blindness.aspx

Japanese "eyeball licking" trend carries blindness risk

[source: http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/320966/12/Japanese-eyeball-licking-trend-carries-blindness-risk]

(CBS News) A strange trend among Japanese school-aged children and teens -- licking a friend or lover's eyeballs -- may be perplexing, but experts are more worried about the germs they are potentially spreading.
"This is a dangerous practice which has the potential to spread a number of bacteria that reside in the mouth to the eye resulting in bacterial infections such as conjunctivitis to styes as well as abscesses involving the lids and eye socket," Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told CBSNews.com.
Eyeball licking, which is also known as "worming" or oculolinctus, has existed for quite some time, and there are numerous clips of people engaging in the act on YouTube. Japanese blog Naver Matome interviewed one concerned teacher who said that he ran into two sixth grade students licking each others' eyeballs in an equipment room. After he confronted them, they admitted it was popular in their class. His independent survey of students confirmed his fears: One-third of the children admitted to eyeball licking.
The Guardian cites a Japanese music video from the band Born, which features an eyeball licking scene, as the spark for the reignited trend.
Dr. Robert Noecker, an ophthalmologist practicing in Connecticut, told Medical Daily that the eyeballs may act as an erogenous zone due to the amount of nerves.

"The cornea is the most innervated part of the body," Noecker said. "That's why it might feel good to have it licked. It's the same thing with sucking toes -- they're so sensitive because the body needs to be able to detect minor particles and other disturbances. If you're so inclined, that's the plus."
But, eyeball licking comes with many risks. It's easy to spread bacteria that causes conjunctivitis, better known as pink eye, with your tongue. When infected with the germs, the clear lining inside the eyelid and the white of the eye gets inflamed, giving the eye a pink or red color. Normally, pink eye will go away on its own, but in severe cases people will need antibiotics or other medical treatment.
The Japanese teacher also noted with growing concern that he saw up to 10 students at a time wearing eye patches, which he realized were hiding eye ailments.

Glatter, who hasn't seen any of these cases enter his emergency room just yet, said he's also worried about the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

"Chlamydia is a bacteria of particular concern which can be spread sexually, and has the potential to lead to blindness if left untreated," he pointed out. "Although its incidence is decreasing, it is always a concern in this. Setting especially if there has been any orogenital contact."

There's also the chance that licking the eyeball could accidentally scratch it. Any cuts can become a trap for bacteria, which can lead to other problems. Dr. Phillip Rizzuto, a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, told theHuffington Post that left untreated some of these germs could also cause blindness.

"The bacteria in the mouth is nothing like the bacteria in the eyeball, which is why we no longer recommend people lick contact lenses to moisten them," Rizzuto said.
Noecker warned teens not to try this activity at all.

"There's got to be better ways to do things," Noecker said. "I would recommend that people find another outlet that won't compromise their vision in the long term."

Michelle Castillo, CBS News

Aniridia Europe News

http://raretogether.eurordis.org/news/aniridia-europe-news/

Android Platforms: More "E-Accessibility!"

Accessibility features are publicized more for iPhone smart phones and iPads but our Android devices also have  accessibility features for the blind and visually impaired. I agree, there needs to be more but I don't want to short change what Android does have. My own smart phone and tablet are Android based and I have discovered several aps that my students and friends can use.

I use Vlingo on my phone along with the regular speech feature. It gives me hand free accessibility. It senses when I am in the car and comes on automatically based on the movement of the phone.    Vlingo asks me what I'd like to do and then it reads my texts. I an also return texts to senders by voice. However if one is riding in a car while voice texting,  the microphone may pick up extraneous noises from the tires on rough roads and get 'confused.' Of course one has to also make sure no one else is talking in the car and that the volume on the car stereo is turned down or off. Sometimes I use it with the blue tooth I have over my sunvisor for extra volume. The GPS device can be used for driving or walking and it speaks. It can also stay on when one is not in the car because it talks all the time to let me know when a texts arrives and who the text is from. It also reads the sender's phone number and the text itself. I even know when I get a tweet!

Talkback is another cool talking ap for the visually impaired.

My Samsung has a separate keyboard that slides out from under the screen so it can be accessed instead of using the touch screen. One of my former students says she likes this feature because she can feel the keys better. She is currently using an older model phone and is reluctant to get a smart phone. As a braille reader--and a very independent one, I might add--she likes to feel the keys and is used to their placement and functions. She said she might like the GPS function on a smart phone because she travels a lot. Expense may be an issue for some. It is possible to have and use free aps and to use a pre-paid system. I use a Go-Phone and a Lenovo tablet which is less expensive for me as far as having to be under contract.

Once again, I am not promoting one platform over another. I just want accessibility features to be presented for both platforms so that the reader can make his/her own decision about which is best for his/her particular needs.

Here are some other links that will assist in accessing Android features or provide more information:

http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-android-accessibility-blind-6394418.html
http://mashable.com/2012/07/17/android-app-for-blind-smartphone-users/
http://www.downloadsarea.com/Android_Mobile-Accessibility-UK/
http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index.html
http://www.google.com/accessibility/products/
http://www.androidaccess.net/
YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPkgFljFtVI

AD/HD: Separating Facts From Fiction

Why am I including this on a blog about blindness and visual impairments? Because, just like sighted children, our children with visual impairments can have other conditions that need to be understood in order to provide the best teaching strategies for them.


Sent from my Samsung smartphone on AT&T


-------- Original message --------
Subject:AD/HD: Separating Facts From Fiction
From:LD News <ncld@ncld.org>
To:mskathy

Not subscribed to this newsletter? Sign up now. To ensure delivery to your inbox, please add ncld@ncld.org to your address book or approved sender list.

March 5, 2013 LD News Dear Kathy, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a source of great debate, occasionally the butt of late-night talk show jokes, and is widely misunderstood. We know AD/HD is no laughing matter, though, especially for the one-third of people with LD who also have AD/HD. If your child is one of them, there are ways to sort it all out. In this issue, we clearly separate AD/HD fact from fiction and bring you a new video on this topic. Help us spread the truth by sharing these resources with others! Sincerely, The NCLD Team P.S. Check out our new e-books section where we bring together all of our e-books, toolkits, and guides so you can access the information you need on a specific topic in one easy download. Our e-books now offer read-aloud technology and can be printed or read on your mobile device.   Top Features AD/HD: Separating Fact from Fiction This video debunks some common myths about AD/HD and reveals the truth about the causes, proper diagnosis, management/treatment, and manifestations of the disorder. Get the straight scoop now. (8:27) AD/HD Resources You Can Trust Not sure where to turn for reliable information on AD/HD? We've carefully compiled a list of AD/HD-related videos, articles, books, and online resources you can trust.       LD and AD/HD Make Stress Worse Psychologist Jerome Schultz says, "For kids with LD and AD/HD, stress lives in the space between I need to and I don't know how to. Read an excerpt from his book and be on the lookout for two new articles he's writing for us! What Is AD/HD? This informative video clearly describes the three types of AD/HD, as well as the underlying causes and how the disorder impacts a person's executive functions. Watch and learn. (7:43) Using Apps for Kids with LD and AD/HD An educational advocate doubted that mobile apps would help her daughter with AD/HD and other disorders. She gave apps a try, and she was pleasantly surprised with the results. Out-of-the-Box Advocacy: Talk LD with Letters and Email Parent contributor Lyn Pollard extols the power of crafting personal letters and emails to key decision makers who have a say in the education of kids with LD. Read her tips for conveying your message. FEEDBACK Send us your thoughts on LD News for Parents, or suggest topics for new articles and new resources. SHARE THIS WITH A FRIEND Do you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter? Share it with them. VISIT NCLD'S WEB SITES LD.org GetReadytoRead.org RTINetwork.org DONATE Support NCLD Subscribe | Unsubscribe | View in Browser | Read our Privacy Policy LD News for Parents is brought to you by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. 381 Park Avenue South, Suite 1401, New York, NY 10016. NCLD's LD News for Parents is made possible by NCLD's Board of Directors and other committed parents and supporters. © 2013 National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. All rights reserved. nonprofit software