Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Treat-or-Treating suggestions? (self.Blind)
submitted 7y ago by toomuchweightloss
Very new to this. I have a son who will be just barely 2 at Halloween this year and going out with his big sister. He has some degree of night blindness that we haven't quite figured out yet (we've only known for about a month) and are starting to realize where we're going to need to adapt and help him.
I realized tonight he can't see in shadows, as we have a light out in part of a room and it was rainy, so extra dark and he stopped as he went into the corner and complained "light ON" to tell me to turn it on. So I'm wondering about Halloween night. We'd be going out around 5:30, honestly, because my oldest is just 4, but will he be able to see enough to get to the doors? Should I plan to carry him? How do we do this when he's old enough to walk by himself?
I realized tonight he can't see in shadows, as we have a light out in part of a room and it was rainy, so extra dark and he stopped as he went into the corner and complained "light ON" to tell me to turn it on. So I'm wondering about Halloween night. We'd be going out around 5:30, honestly, because my oldest is just 4, but will he be able to see enough to get to the doors? Should I plan to carry him? How do we do this when he's old enough to walk by himself?
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toomuchweightloss [OP] 1 points
I'll keep that in mind for next year. This year, he's going as Chris Hadfield, because we have a perfect little astronaut suit and a guitar.
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geoffisblind 1 points
AWESOME! You have no idea how happy this makes me.
geoffisblind 1 points
Night blindness is one of my biggest issues. Admittedly I haven't partaken in Trick or Treating in quite some time but when I was younger my parents did some things to make it easier. I would get him a flashlight, this is great for night blindness. If he's really young he doesn't need to have it always in his room or whatever, but making it available for these kinds of night activities would be good. This can be a major comfort and can help with safety. In the meantime I would learn sighted guide technique. There are some videos on YouTube about sighted guide that you can find which should explain it better than I can here. Depending on what works for him a flashlight may be good, or you may look to other options. I personally switched to a cane as my primary mobility aid day and night a little over a year ago to address the other aspects of my vision loss and it had the bonus of replacing the need to use a flashlight. He may or may not want to do this.
I'd also just like to note that allowing him to figure things out is really good. My parents from very early on insisted that I learn to do things by myself. They were always there to help me when I needed it but they wouldn't do things for me and I have benefited enormously from this. Though I'm passed the days of trick or treating, I have no problem going out at night knowing that I have the skills to be independent with friends or alone using the skills and tools available to me. Let him make a few mistakes while figuring out night blindness, it will make him much more independent in the future.
Hope this helps, if you need me to elaborate on anything let me know :)
I'd also just like to note that allowing him to figure things out is really good. My parents from very early on insisted that I learn to do things by myself. They were always there to help me when I needed it but they wouldn't do things for me and I have benefited enormously from this. Though I'm passed the days of trick or treating, I have no problem going out at night knowing that I have the skills to be independent with friends or alone using the skills and tools available to me. Let him make a few mistakes while figuring out night blindness, it will make him much more independent in the future.
Hope this helps, if you need me to elaborate on anything let me know :)
toomuchweightloss [OP] 1 points
Thank you, it does help.
I think my biggest concern is just simply that I don't know, really, what he's dealing with. I have read some personal accounts that seemed to indicate that "spots of light" like streetlights or flashlights wouldn't really help, so it's nice to hear you counteract that. A flashlight is something we already have, easy fix. It may also help with that other issue we now have, night-time potty training. I'm reluctant to do things like leave a lamp on, because as you say, he's going to have to learn to deal with it as he grows up.
I'm looking into the sighted guiding technique, but for right now, I think it might be...very challenging. He's only three feet tall.
I think my biggest concern is just simply that I don't know, really, what he's dealing with. I have read some personal accounts that seemed to indicate that "spots of light" like streetlights or flashlights wouldn't really help, so it's nice to hear you counteract that. A flashlight is something we already have, easy fix. It may also help with that other issue we now have, night-time potty training. I'm reluctant to do things like leave a lamp on, because as you say, he's going to have to learn to deal with it as he grows up.
I'm looking into the sighted guiding technique, but for right now, I think it might be...very challenging. He's only three feet tall.
geoffisblind 1 points
So in the house I don't actually think it's bad to have lights necessarily since in most cases he'll be able to flip on the lights, I definitely will just do that in unfamiliar places. I have the whole layout of my house memorized so as long as nothing is moved without telling me I am pretty good about getting around with no lights, or with lights. I have very limited peripheral vision which is another factor in my eyesight. I'd agree that street lights don't really help. My O&M instructors actually just told me to wear my shades because the lights bother my eyes and they aren't helpful at all. I guess you just need to find a happy medium with him. A lot of it is learning on the fly and figuring out how it works. Maybe when he gets older looking into some O&M training would be a good idea.
toomuchweightloss [OP] 1 points
O&M?
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geoffisblind 1 points
Oh sorry, Orientation and Mobility. There are people who specialize in helping the blind and visually impaired figure out how to stay oriented and move from place to place safely.
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