Babies and Toddlers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Babies are wonderful, but they don’t arrive with a set of instructions! Like all parents, parents of infants who are visually impaired have a lot to learn. But there are many services and sources of help. Find out about them—and much more—here.
- How can I tell if my baby can’t see?
- How does having a baby who is blind impact you, your family, and your family routines?
- What about the impact of blindness on your baby’s development? Read about learning to talk, toilet training, eating skills, sleep, and play.
- How do I get services if my baby can’t see? And what happens at age three?
- How do blind babies learn to play?
- What are good toys for a blind baby and where can I get them?
- What are those repetitive behaviors?
- I am all set, but it’s time for my visually impaired toddler to transition to preschool. What now?
Once you have the diagnosis of blindness, learn how you can:
- Deal with medical professionals
- Learn about the impact of a child’s blindness on the family
- Adapt your home for a blind child
- Find out what types of services blind children need and how to get them
The “Transition to Independence” section explains how you may help your child to develop independence skills and begin the process of career awareness and development. We thank the May and Stanley Smith Foundation for its support and funding of this project. Read these articles to see what you can do at home.
- Laying the Best Foundation for Your Child’s Future Career
- Building Knowledge in Infants and Toddlers Who Are Blind
- Helping Visually Impaired Children Explore the Community
- Making Choices: A Key Skill for Children with Visual Impairment
- Modeling Good Manners as Your Blind Child Learns to Interact
- Teaching Empathy to Visually Impaired Children
- Encouraging Children to Use Assistive Technology
If you are raising a blind baby, know that you are not alone. On FamilyConnect, you can connect directly with other parents like you by joining the FamilyConnect community. There are several full-time parent bloggers contributing to FamilyConnect. You can request e-mail updates for these blogs and track your favorite message boards by registering with FamilyConnect.