Hi there. I’m sorry to hear of your sons illness but I’m so glad he’s ok now. I can’t recommend Joe Cutters book “Independent Movement and Travel” enough. This article is also really great $1

My daughter has been blind since birth. She’s 17 now and she moves so well with her cane that you can hardly tell she’s blind. Good luck on your journey.

You mention he has therapy which is great. As a blind adult, I would suggest you give him as many life skills as possible, but make it fun. An activity board with zippers, buttons, laces to put in the holes and lace up, and different textures to feel (ie, wool, sand paper, cotton, polar fleece, etc). Play different kinds of music for him. Get him one if those kid’s xylophones. Teach him about animals. When he is old enough, get him a water table to play with. Help him learn to pour water into different size containers. Water is a fun tactile experience. Duplos to build with. Maybe a sandbox when he gets older so he can practice finding “hidden treasures”. Definitely teach him to swim!!! Or at least float, that might save his life someday. Teach him to do chores and his own laundry. I know so many other blind adults who are helpless because their parents did everything for them. Let him learn and fail and try again.

One thing I've seen help is to use a 3D printer. Let's say someone who is totally blind has never seen a castle before, if you 3D print one, they can feel it in pretty good detail.

First: go for walks with him as often as you can so he gets used to the noises around him and the scents of the air and the constant moving of traffic and people.

Second: Make sure you read aloud to him which I am sure being a good parent that you already do. Reading every day will make him used to books and words get him more comfortable with life in general.

3: If you like teach yourself the ABC in Braille. If he is already close to totally blind Braille will be his best asset at least tied with technology if not being superior to technology.

Watch described movies and tv shows. There is much more available now with this than when I was a kid growing up in the nineties.

Go to museums and take all the tours, go to zoos and see all the animals.

Listen to all types of music and get toy music instruments for him.

Just treat him like any normal child I would be happy to chat with you and partner about him on Skype.

Lots of great tips here. I would add that the worst thing you can do is to be over-protective. Let him play, explore his environment, fall, run into things, climb trees, etc. If you have any doubts about what he will be able to do as a blind person, get rid of those immediately, because I can guarantee you that whatever you believe will become his reality. When he is old enough, make sure he learns braille, and learns it well. The stats on this are pretty unquestionable at this point. There is no better predictor of the success of blind adults than there ability to use braille. Get a cane in his hand as soon as he can walk. He might fight it, he might not. Ultimately, it can spell the difference between someone who is an independent traveler, and one who is not, and this ability, or lack there of has a decent chance of impacting the types of jobs he'll be able to hold. Good luck!

Getting Orientation and Mobility training would be very good, as well as Independent Living Skills (depending on where you are, that can also be called Rehab or something). At that age, they may also have Early Intervention Specialists (once again, dependent on area and health care system) that can start working on concepts.

The one thing my parents did for me when I was young was to read to me. Because I didn't have any vision, books helped me understand the world. My mom started reading me chapter books at the age of 3. I still read a lot today, and I am 31.

Let him fall over.

Let him do chores when he grows up.

This article is also really good$1

You can actually get a copy of Joe Cutters book for free if you sign up for the Early Explorers program. $1