Deafblind Awareness

Breathing Space recently supported the DeafBlind Scotland Canal Race held at the end of April which aimed to raise awareness of both the needs and potential of deafblind people.

Sense is a national charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind.

Sense marked Deafblind Awareness Week last month (17th-23rd June) with events and activities held nationwide carrying the theme 'belonging and participating'. For more information visit the Sense website.

Deafblindness is a term that describes a number of conditions involving both vision and hearing problems. It is sometimes called dual-sensory impairment.

There are two main types of deafblindness:

1. Congenital - where somebody is born with both visual and hearing problems:

• Rubella
• Premature Birth
• Genetic conditions

2. Acquired - where somebody loses some or all of their hearing and sight at some stage in their life:

• Usher syndrome
• Other causes (e.g. as a result of two unrelated conditions that cause loss of vision and loss of hearing, or it can occur as a result of ageing).

There are more than 100 causes of congenital and acquired deafblindness.

Visit NHS inform for further information on Deafblindness.