What is deaf blindness

Key facts • By 2050 nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss and at least 700 million will require hearing rehabilitation. • Over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. • An annual additional investment of less than US$ 1.40 per person is needed to scale up ear and hearing care services globally. • Over a 10-year period, this promises a return of nearly US$ 16 for every US dollar invested. Overview Over 5% of the world’s population – or 430 million people – require rehabilitation to address their disabling hearing loss (432 million adults and 34 million children). It is estimated that by 2050 over 700 million people – or 1 in every 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss. ‘Disabling’ hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 35 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear. Nearly 80% of people with disabling hearing loss live in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, among those older than 60 years, over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss. Hearing loss and deafness A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds. 'Hard of hearing' refers to peo...

Deaf-blindness refers to instances in which an individual has concomitant hearing and visual impairments. Roughly 45,000 – 50,000 American individuals are said to experience the effects of deaf-blindness today. It is important to acknowledge that the term “deaf-blind” does not insinuate that an individual has both profound hearing loss and a severe visual impairment; instead, deaf-blindness possesses a spectrum in which an individual typically has more profound impairments in either vision or hearing. In fact, out of all of the individuals with deaf-blindness today, only 1% of this population experiences both total blindness and profound hearing loss whereas 5% of individuals with deaf-blindness are totally blind and 20% have profound hearing loss. Because of the fact that individuals with deaf-blindness experience at least some degree of hearing and vision impairments, opportunities for learning and communicating are often much more limited. POTENTIAL CAUSES OF DEAF-BLINDNESS As of 2020, there are approximately more than 70 different known causes of deaf-blindness. The most prevalent of those causes include but are not limited to the following: • premature birth • CHARGE syndrome • Usher syndrome • Down syndrome Of all of the known causes of deaf-blindness, roughly 45% of cases appear to be attributed to hereditary disorders and syndromes, 19% continue to have an unknown etiology, and 36% are linked to prenatal congenital, postnatal, and prematurity complications. COMMUNI...

I see with my hands and I hear with my body. I feel what you see and I hear through vibrations. -Anonymous What is Deaf-blindness? Deaf-blindess is legally defined as "[having] concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness" (IDEA § 300.8 ?[c][2]). A person who is deaf-blind is not necessarily completely deaf and/or blind; rather, the degrees to which deaf-blindness and its combination in individuals vary (deafblindinfo.org). While some may be completely deaf and blind, it is more common for individuals to have some degree of residual vision and/or hearing. The condition of deaf-blindness may occur at any stage in life: some may be born deaf and become blind later on in life; others may be born blind and become deaf later; still others might experience a residual loss of both vision and hearing (AADB). Additionally, some deaf-blind individuals may carry additional physical or cognitive disabilities, though this isn't necessarily a given. Depending on the degree of blindness, deaf-blind persons may utilize sign language or tactile sign language for communication; likewise, if there is some degree of hearing, individuals may choose to utilize spoken language for communication . What Causes Deaf-blindness? There are various ways that people become deaf-bl...

There are many causes of dual sensory impairments from congenital (e.g., Usher syndrome) to acquired (e.g., brain injury, meningitis). Some causes of deaf-blindness are present at birth, while others develop later in life. Regardless of the cause of dual sensory impairments, the individual will have a unique history and an individual pattern to vision and hearing loss, resulting in individualized needs. This area of the website provides an overview of some common causes of deafblindness. Below is a list of links to articles that describe various deafblindness syndromes. • • • • • • • •

Deaf-blindness refers to instances in which an individual has concomitant hearing and visual impairments. Roughly 45,000 – 50,000 American individuals are said to experience the effects of deaf-blindness today. It is important to acknowledge that the term “deaf-blind” does not insinuate that an individual has both profound hearing loss and a severe visual impairment; instead, deaf-blindness possesses a spectrum in which an individual typically has more profound impairments in either vision or hearing. In fact, out of all of the individuals with deaf-blindness today, only 1% of this population experiences both total blindness and profound hearing loss whereas 5% of individuals with deaf-blindness are totally blind and 20% have profound hearing loss. Because of the fact that individuals with deaf-blindness experience at least some degree of hearing and vision impairments, opportunities for learning and communicating are often much more limited. POTENTIAL CAUSES OF DEAF-BLINDNESS As of 2020, there are approximately more than 70 different known causes of deaf-blindness. The most prevalent of those causes include but are not limited to the following: • premature birth • CHARGE syndrome • Usher syndrome • Down syndrome Of all of the known causes of deaf-blindness, roughly 45% of cases appear to be attributed to hereditary disorders and syndromes, 19% continue to have an unknown etiology, and 36% are linked to prenatal congenital, postnatal, and prematurity complications. COMMUNI...

There are many causes of dual sensory impairments from congenital (e.g., Usher syndrome) to acquired (e.g., brain injury, meningitis). Some causes of deaf-blindness are present at birth, while others develop later in life. Regardless of the cause of dual sensory impairments, the individual will have a unique history and an individual pattern to vision and hearing loss, resulting in individualized needs. This area of the website provides an overview of some common causes of deafblindness. Below is a list of links to articles that describe various deafblindness syndromes. • • • • • • • •

I see with my hands and I hear with my body. I feel what you see and I hear through vibrations. -Anonymous What is Deaf-blindness? Deaf-blindess is legally defined as "[having] concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness" (IDEA § 300.8 ?[c][2]). A person who is deaf-blind is not necessarily completely deaf and/or blind; rather, the degrees to which deaf-blindness and its combination in individuals vary (deafblindinfo.org). While some may be completely deaf and blind, it is more common for individuals to have some degree of residual vision and/or hearing. The condition of deaf-blindness may occur at any stage in life: some may be born deaf and become blind later on in life; others may be born blind and become deaf later; still others might experience a residual loss of both vision and hearing (AADB). Additionally, some deaf-blind individuals may carry additional physical or cognitive disabilities, though this isn't necessarily a given. Depending on the degree of blindness, deaf-blind persons may utilize sign language or tactile sign language for communication; likewise, if there is some degree of hearing, individuals may choose to utilize spoken language for communication . What Causes Deaf-blindness? There are various ways that people become deaf-bl...

Key facts • By 2050 nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss and at least 700 million will require hearing rehabilitation. • Over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. • An annual additional investment of less than US$ 1.40 per person is needed to scale up ear and hearing care services globally. • Over a 10-year period, this promises a return of nearly US$ 16 for every US dollar invested. Overview Over 5% of the world’s population – or 430 million people – require rehabilitation to address their disabling hearing loss (432 million adults and 34 million children). It is estimated that by 2050 over 700 million people – or 1 in every 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss. ‘Disabling’ hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 35 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear. Nearly 80% of people with disabling hearing loss live in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, among those older than 60 years, over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss. Hearing loss and deafness A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds. 'Hard of hearing' refers to peo...

There are many causes of dual sensory impairments from congenital (e.g., Usher syndrome) to acquired (e.g., brain injury, meningitis). Some causes of deaf-blindness are present at birth, while others develop later in life. Regardless of the cause of dual sensory impairments, the individual will have a unique history and an individual pattern to vision and hearing loss, resulting in individualized needs. This area of the website provides an overview of some common causes of deafblindness. Below is a list of links to articles that describe various deafblindness syndromes. • • • • • • • •

Deaf-blindness refers to instances in which an individual has concomitant hearing and visual impairments. Roughly 45,000 – 50,000 American individuals are said to experience the effects of deaf-blindness today. It is important to acknowledge that the term “deaf-blind” does not insinuate that an individual has both profound hearing loss and a severe visual impairment; instead, deaf-blindness possesses a spectrum in which an individual typically has more profound impairments in either vision or hearing. In fact, out of all of the individuals with deaf-blindness today, only 1% of this population experiences both total blindness and profound hearing loss whereas 5% of individuals with deaf-blindness are totally blind and 20% have profound hearing loss. Because of the fact that individuals with deaf-blindness experience at least some degree of hearing and vision impairments, opportunities for learning and communicating are often much more limited. POTENTIAL CAUSES OF DEAF-BLINDNESS As of 2020, there are approximately more than 70 different known causes of deaf-blindness. The most prevalent of those causes include but are not limited to the following: • premature birth • CHARGE syndrome • Usher syndrome • Down syndrome Of all of the known causes of deaf-blindness, roughly 45% of cases appear to be attributed to hereditary disorders and syndromes, 19% continue to have an unknown etiology, and 36% are linked to prenatal congenital, postnatal, and prematurity complications. COMMUNI...