Families
Find us on Facebook
The player will show in this paragraph
At the end of each day, four-year-old Chelsea loves snuggling up for story time with her mum and dad, Lynda and Wayne, and little brother Jack, 20 months.
Chelsea has been blind since birth, so all of her story books have been brailled by RIDBC.
"She is getting used to following the dots with her fingers" says Lynda. "And now little Jack has started to feel them too!"
This anecdote is a poignant reminder of the relative ease with which sighted children learn everyday skills. A toddler like Jack is too young to speak more than a few words, yet he is constantly learning new things merely by watching and copying his parents, grandparents and friends.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is still struggling to learn basic skills that Jack mastered months ago, such as feeding herself and drinking from a cup, because she has never seen anyone do these things. Every small life skill has to be painstakingly coached by her parents and teachers at RIDBC Nepean Preschool.
Chelsea also finds social situations difficult. When other children at preschool are playing boisterously, Chelsea often feels unsure and uncertain of how to join in. She needs adult encouragement and the comforting presence of familiar voices.
Her teachers at RIDBC work on all these skills with her and their patience and dedication is beginning to pay off. Chelsea’s language and social confidence have improved dramatically, and she recently started to drink from a cup by herself – to the delight of her parents!
There is still a lot to learn for this tiny four-year-old, but her parents and RIDBC teachers will continue their dedicated work, encouraging her every step of the way.