Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Looking for other's experiences with cane training (self.Blind)
submitted by letspaintthesky
Hi (again). I've finally, with a gentle push from a friendly person here, decided to try again to get some help from my local O & M service in hopes of learning to use a white cane properly.
I was wondering what age people here were when they got their first sight cane and what that was like for them? That's if anybody would like to share their experiences with me, of course.
I'm 25 and in Australia, if anyone wants to know :)
I was wondering what age people here were when they got their first sight cane and what that was like for them? That's if anybody would like to share their experiences with me, of course.
I'm 25 and in Australia, if anyone wants to know :)
niamhweking 3 points 2y ago
My little one was 5/6 and she's visually impaired. We just felt and had been told to get her trained before her self consciousness kicks in and she rejects anything that might single her out. And also holding hands with a parent for guidance only works till a certain age, we didn't think she'd want to hold our hands at 11 or 12! We figured she can always retrain if she opts out of cane use as a teen. Again she will only need it somewhere unfamiliar.
Kelashara 2 points 2y ago
I commend you, for doing this for you little girl; I know, for myself using a cane has made me more independent, more confident, and has given me the self-confidence to do anything and everything, that I can do. Again, I commend you, for taking and having your little girl learn how do use a cane at tinder age of five or six.
Kelashara 1 points 2y ago
you can also be difficult, at times when you are in a unfamiliar environment, and having to travel with a cane, but, with the time, and the effort, your little girl, will learn her way around unfamiliar settings, using the cane, and will not have to rely, and cited guide. If you would like to talk more about this, please feel free to send me a message and let us talk. I am here for anyone who needs information, or would like to talk about anything dealing with blindness.
letspaintthesky [OP] 1 points 2y ago
>before her self consciousness kicks in
that's the freakin' ticket right there. An actual stroke of genius. Nice job, parents!
that's the freakin' ticket right there. An actual stroke of genius. Nice job, parents!
niamhweking 3 points 2y ago
Wow thanks! We were realising from the annual family days we were attending that at around 8 years old kids with VI were realising they were different and then in secondary school they don't want to use their equipment, tech, cane, classroom assistant etc. We figured if we even got some of that into her head that it's not a bad thing, she might come around or be less resistant than another kid as she goes into teen years.
We were also reading so many comments online from adults with VI saying " I had no tech, equipment or help growing up, never affected me. Kids just have to suck it up" and I was horrified. That can be said for so many illnesses and disabilities but if you need help I think you should ask for it. With VI, hearing, a limp, anxiety, dyslexia. I didn't want my kid thinking the help wasn't there
We were also reading so many comments online from adults with VI saying " I had no tech, equipment or help growing up, never affected me. Kids just have to suck it up" and I was horrified. That can be said for so many illnesses and disabilities but if you need help I think you should ask for it. With VI, hearing, a limp, anxiety, dyslexia. I didn't want my kid thinking the help wasn't there
letspaintthesky [OP] 1 points 2y ago
The school district took my itinerant teacher away, and the board that raised my books when I was seven years old. If they hadn't, I wouldn't have been so embarrassed about needing other help that I didn't get later on.
As for the 'I didn't get help and I was fine folks' ok, you might have been, but things were made harder for you for no reason. We should want to make things easier for actual, literal children if we can.
As for the 'I didn't get help and I was fine folks' ok, you might have been, but things were made harder for you for no reason. We should want to make things easier for actual, literal children if we can.
niamhweking 2 points 2y ago
OK, so here no one can take your visiting teacher away unless you are no longer VI or legally blind. Not that it's a great service, I depends on the VT you get and some are really streched. And again the large print school books/braille school books are ordered through the VT via one organisation for the blind so that has nothing to do with the school except you might have a teacher not give the booklist to the VT on time to have books ready for the new school year
Tarnagona 2 points 2y ago
I had cane training as a kid (11 or 12 years old), but only used an ID cane until I was in my twenties. Having had the basics of cane training as a kid made it pretty easy to pick up when I started using a cane full time, but I think it shouldn’t be too hard to learn as an adult. Especially as you’ll get lots of practice if you take your cane everywhere.
PS, it wasn’t embarrassment or self-consciousness, but my O&M instructors growing up just assumed an ID cane was enough, so it never occurred to me to use a travel cane myself. Until I was learning my university with a new O&M who suggested I should try using a long cane. He was right, as with the cane, I can focus my attention on more than what’s under my feet. Also people tend to get out of my way, which is much better than bumping in to them.
PS, it wasn’t embarrassment or self-consciousness, but my O&M instructors growing up just assumed an ID cane was enough, so it never occurred to me to use a travel cane myself. Until I was learning my university with a new O&M who suggested I should try using a long cane. He was right, as with the cane, I can focus my attention on more than what’s under my feet. Also people tend to get out of my way, which is much better than bumping in to them.
letspaintthesky [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Thank you for sharing this with me :)
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