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Children with deafblindness are among the most marginalised. Many live in countries where health services lack the capacity to carry out hearing/sight testing. They are often not diagnosed and don’t get any support. We work with governments to establish screening and early intervention services.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
People with deafblindness have a combination of sight and hearing impairments, often accompanied by other disabilities. This is challenging and isolating, as one sense cannot compensate for the other. Up to 150 million people have deafblindness worldwide, many of whom live in countries where health services lack the capacity, equipment and skills to carry out hearing/sight testing or offer specialist services. This means people are not diagnosed and don’t get the support they need to thrive.
Solution
Identifying children with deafblindness early and providing early childhood education is vital in ensuring that they get the best start in life and go on to achieve their full potential. We establish screening/testing services in partnership with governments and local health providers, train health professionals to identify children with deafblindness and provide specialist multi-sensory therapy, and work with parents/caregivers to gain the skills to nurture their child’s development at home.
