About Deaf-Blindness
Behaviors that may indicate a Dual Sensory Impairment
The following questions are designed to help parents and professionals determine if there is a possibility of a hearing and vision loss. Every child who is suspected of having an impairment should receive complete hearing and vision assessments.
Does the child or student:
- Often bump into persons and objects?
- Have difficulty walking or crawling smoothly across shadows or areas that are different like carpet or tile?
- Need to touch or have an object close to the face to identify it?
- Prefer only brightly colored or shiny objects?
- Have difficulty reaching for and grasping objects in a coordinated manner?
- Squint, cover, or close one eye when looking at objects?
- Lose interest or tire easily when performing near tasks?
- Usually turn toward a light source?
- Fail to recognize and respond to familiar faces?
- Have difficulty following moving objects with eyes?
- Have eyes that are red or watery, not clear?
- Fail to react to loud noise?
- Frequently ask to have things repeated or follow directions incorrectly?
- Have difficulty locating the sources of sound?
- Seem confused when verbal directions are given in noisy environments such as playgrounds or school cafeterias?
- Indicate agreement (nods head) when you know the individual does not understand what was said?
- Fail to recognize and respond appropriately to words or common home noises (telephone, door knock)?
- Understand better when looking directly at the speaker?
Brochure
- ND Deaf-Blind Services Project Brochure (92kb pdf)
