Post by Ms. Kathy on Apr 23, 2004 4:43:16 GMT -6
[shadow=red,left,300]Early Intervention[/shadow]
Before parents of a newborn with visual impairments leave the hospital the doctors put them in contact with a vision teacher/specialist whose expertise is working with infants from 0 to three years old. This specialist will give parents tips for working with their child and helping to prepare the child for preschool.
Often this free service is offered through the local school system. The child will be evaluated to determine what kinds of specialists need to service her in the home. Sometimes our preemies may also require the services of a speech therapist, occupational therapist (OT), physical therapist (PT), or nurse.
When the Early Intervention Specialist for vision arrives in the home it is not a time for mom to cook or dad to take a break in the den. It is a time for parents to learn as well as some of the methods she will teach will help make life easier for all concerned in the long run.
What are some of the things the EA Vision specialist will do? She may have a checklist that she will follow to see if the child is doing some of the things a blind or low vision child should be doing at her age. She may ask questions of the parents to complete some of this check list. Based on the survey, she will then help come up with a plan for teaching the child and some things that the parents can do to help the child learn or perform the appropriate task. This could be anything from teaching a child to keep his fingers out of his eyes, to reaching towards the noise of a favorite toy or potty training a blind boy vs a blind girl. She can advise the parents of Braille classes, support groups and organizations for the blind and parents of the blind. Sometimes the specialist can also help in dealing with the siblings of a blind child.
Finally the Early Interventionist prepares the child for preschool for visually impaired children which ultimately prepares the child and the parents for the rest of his educational career as a blind/visually impaired student among sighted peers. She also prepares the preschool teacher for the arrival of the new student.
When I had a class of preschoolers with visual impairments I was blessed to work with a very dedicated Early Interevention Specialist for he Visually Impaired. Each child that she worked with who was about to turn three years old she knew very well and made sure I did before they even arrived in my classroom. I also felt I knew several parents of my new students as well.
Later, when I had some classes in early intervention, I felt that I had a head start from being in contact with her.
The children who came through "Ms. Kay" whose parents heeded her instructions, were in a different category from those who had not. Her records of what she'd been working on with the child helped immeasurably in working with them in the preschool class.
Before parents of a newborn with visual impairments leave the hospital the doctors put them in contact with a vision teacher/specialist whose expertise is working with infants from 0 to three years old. This specialist will give parents tips for working with their child and helping to prepare the child for preschool.
Often this free service is offered through the local school system. The child will be evaluated to determine what kinds of specialists need to service her in the home. Sometimes our preemies may also require the services of a speech therapist, occupational therapist (OT), physical therapist (PT), or nurse.
When the Early Intervention Specialist for vision arrives in the home it is not a time for mom to cook or dad to take a break in the den. It is a time for parents to learn as well as some of the methods she will teach will help make life easier for all concerned in the long run.
What are some of the things the EA Vision specialist will do? She may have a checklist that she will follow to see if the child is doing some of the things a blind or low vision child should be doing at her age. She may ask questions of the parents to complete some of this check list. Based on the survey, she will then help come up with a plan for teaching the child and some things that the parents can do to help the child learn or perform the appropriate task. This could be anything from teaching a child to keep his fingers out of his eyes, to reaching towards the noise of a favorite toy or potty training a blind boy vs a blind girl. She can advise the parents of Braille classes, support groups and organizations for the blind and parents of the blind. Sometimes the specialist can also help in dealing with the siblings of a blind child.
Finally the Early Interventionist prepares the child for preschool for visually impaired children which ultimately prepares the child and the parents for the rest of his educational career as a blind/visually impaired student among sighted peers. She also prepares the preschool teacher for the arrival of the new student.
When I had a class of preschoolers with visual impairments I was blessed to work with a very dedicated Early Interevention Specialist for he Visually Impaired. Each child that she worked with who was about to turn three years old she knew very well and made sure I did before they even arrived in my classroom. I also felt I knew several parents of my new students as well.
Later, when I had some classes in early intervention, I felt that I had a head start from being in contact with her.
The children who came through "Ms. Kay" whose parents heeded her instructions, were in a different category from those who had not. Her records of what she'd been working on with the child helped immeasurably in working with them in the preschool class.