People who are deaf and blind may be called deaf-blind, or deafblind.
Partial or total sensory loss
There are degrees of hearing loss, and degrees of visual impairment. A deafblind person may have limited sight and limited hearing, no sight and no hearing, or a mixture - limited on one sense and completely missing the other. Every combination you can think of can lead to deafblindness:
- born with no hearing and no sight
- born with one sense impaired, gradual or sudden loss of the other
- born with both senses fully functioning, gradual or sudden loss of both - at the same time or at different times
Because there are so many individual variations, deafblind persons don't have one universal way of communicating. Even so, there are some basic rules of communication.
Assisting
If you don't regularly have a deafblind person in your life, you may only need to know what to do to assist a deafblind person if they need help.
Don't assume the person needs your help!
A deafblind person lacks hearing and vision. Apart from that, you should not assume they have any mental handicaps. Treat the person the way you would treat any other adult, but realize that you will have to communicate differently.
Assume that the person who is deafblind can speak. If they cannot, it will become obvious and you will work with whatever system they use.
If the deafblind person is with an aide
If the deafblind person is the one you are assisting or the one who asked you a question, look at them and address your answer and comments to them. The aide may or may not act as an interpreter. Your conversation is not with the interpreter or aide. It is with the person who is deafblind.
If the deafblind person is alone
Many deafblind people live quite independently, have jobs, go to school, travel and generally enjoy the same things as everyone else. Don't assume that a deafblind person needs help. If they are travelling alone and appear to be moving with purpose, they are just getting on with their day the same as you are.
If the person is standing still and asking for help or is obviously in distress then they do need something.
If the person has dropped their cane, give it back to them immediately - that may be all they need.
How to approach a deafblind person who is asking for help
The person may have some sight. Stand right in front of them and reasonably close up so they can see you.
The person may be carrying a device to help with communication. They will not know you are there, so don't grab it out of their hand!
Touch the person gently on the hand to let them know you are there. Stand right in front of them. Let them tell you what they need.
They may be afraid of you - after all, you are a stranger and they may be in a strange place.
If they push your hand away, respect that. If they allow you to leave your hand on theirs, let them move your hand around if they need to. One method of communication is to draw letters with your finger on the palm of the other person's hand. The deafblind person may ask you to do that. If their speech is not clear and they are moving your hand about, it may be a signal that they would like you to spell something to them.
Listen carefully to their questions and do your best to answer.
In case of emergency
A universal sign for an emergency is an X. You use your hand to draw an X on the person's back and then gently lead them to a safe place.
Make sure they have their cane and equipment
If a deafblind person loses their cane, they have lost one of their links with the world. If you see their cane or other equipment where they can't find it, approach the person from the front, gently touch their hand or arm, and hand them the item. Wait to see if they need anything.
Liz Ball's story
Liz Ball is a young woman in England who is deafblind. She is studying for a Ph. D. degree, and lives independently in London. Her personal account of being stranded without her cane and communication book (they were stolen) is harrowing and shows how not to be helpful. The story is on Ouch, the BBC's website for disability matters.
Liz Ball has also written about her experiences with communication in the workplace, her travels around London, and about her life in general. Liz has an engaging writing style and a winning personality. Her pieces will make you feel like you are right there with her.
Tips on how to communicate and comply effectively with a deaf-blind personby Elizabeth Spiers and Stephen Erlich is archived on a website called A-Z to Deafblindness, which is full of useful information. One of the tips is never tap the deafblind person from behind.
The CNIB Canadian National Institute for the Blind has a guide called Step by Step: A How-to Manual for Guiding Someone with Vision Loss.The manual is brief and easy to read. There is a section near the end with information for guiding persons who are deafblind.
