ontario - deafb… · web viewwhen you think of the word "deafblind", you probably...
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CNIB Ontario – Deafblind Services Deafblindness
Web: cnib.caEmail: [email protected]
CNIB Contact Centre: 1-800-563-2642
DeafblindnessWhen you think of the word "Deafblind", you probably imagine a world of total darkness and a complete lack of sound. If it happened to you, how would you communicate? How would you access information? How would you get around?In actual fact, most people who are Deafblind usually have some degree of vision and/or hearing. They can have a high quality of life. They can get an education. They can be employed. And they can form rewarding relationships. But they need help to do it.CNIB is one of a number of organizations that provides programming to empower people who are Deafblind to live as independently as possible in their environment, including in the broader community.
What is Deafblindness?Deafblindness is a distinct disability. It is a combined loss of hearing and vision to such an extent that neither the hearing nor vision can be used as a means of accessing information to participate and be included in the community.
The Deafblind community is divided into two main groups – those who have been Deafblind since birth (congenitally Deafblind), and those who have acquired Deafblindness over time.
There are three types of acquired Deafblindness: People who were Deaf at birth and acquire vision loss later People who were blind at birth and acquire hearing loss later People who acquire both vision and hearing loss as they go through life
More than half of people who are Deafblind have a genetic condition known as Usher Syndrome. It results in Deafness or hearing loss at birth, followed by vision loss later in life. The gradual vision loss usually begins during adolescence due to retinitis pigmentosa.
seeing beyond vision
Approximately 65,000 Canadians are Deafblind. Less than six per cent of individuals who are Deafblind are employed.