View source for Disabled Village Children:Helping the Blind Child Learn to Move About

{{bctrail|segments=3||chapterurl=Chapter 30: Blindness and Difficulty Seeing|chaptitle=Chapter 30: Loss of Vision and Difficulty Seeing|pagetitle=Helping the Child Learn to Move About}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Helping the Child Learn to Move About}}
{{SideSupplement|bookabbreviation=dvc|pagealt=is from page 249 of|chapterpdf=http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/en_dvc_2023/en_dvc_2023_30.pdf|bookurl=Disabled Village Children|booktitle=Disabled Village Children}}
{{chaptertoc|In this chapter:|
 <ul class{{=}}"noprint">
<li>[[Disabled Village Children:Chapter 30: Blindness and Difficulty Seeing|Chapter 30: Loss of Vision and Difficulty Seeing]]
  </li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Signs That Could Mean a Child has a Seeing Problem|Signs That Could Mean a Child Has Loss of Vision]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Blindness with Other Disabilities|Loss of Vision with Other Disabilities]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Causes of Blindness|Causes of Loss of Vision]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:What Is the Future for a Blind Child?|What Is the Future for a Child with Visual Impairment?]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Early Stimulation|Early Stimulation]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Helping the Blind Child Learn to Move About|Helping the Child Learn to Move About]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Helping the Blind Child Find Her Way Without Holding On|Helping the Child Find Her Way Without Holding On]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Learning to Use a Stick|Learning to Use a Stick]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Helping the Blind Child to Use His Hands and to Learn Skills|Helping the Child to Use His Hands and to Learn Skills]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Work|Work]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Social Life|Social Life]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Prevention of Blindness|Prevention of Vision Loss in Children]]</li>
  </ul>
}}
The child with loss of vision often takes longer to learn to move about and will need extra help and encouragement. Some of the activities in [[Disabled_Village_Children:Chapter_35:_Early_Stimulation_and_Development_Activities|Chapter&nbsp;35]] for creeping, crawling, standing, and walking will help. Here are some other suggestions.

<table width=90%>
<tr>
<td style="width:50%;">When the child begins to crawl, leave toys in places where he will find them. This will encourage him to explore and discover.</td>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch30_Page_249-1.png|170px|center|alt=a child touching a large pitcher on the floor.]]</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>When the child begins to walk, do not move things around without showing her. By not bumping into things, she will gain confidence moving around.
</td>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch30_Page_249-2.png|160px|right]]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Exercise and games will help a child gain confidence in moving his body.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch30_Page_249-3.png|165px|right|alt=a woman sitting while a child pulls on her hands.]]</td>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch30_Page_249-4.png|185px|center|alt=a child doing a somersault on a mat.]]</td>
</tr>
</table>

Encourage the child to be adventurous, explore, and do all the things a child usually does. Protect her from hurting herself—but do not protect her too much. Remember, all children learning to walk sometimes fall. A child with vision loss is no different.

<div class{{=}}page-break></div>
<table>
<tr>

<td rowspan=2>The child can learn to feel the edge of the path with her feet, and to feel plants or other objects with her hands.</td>
<td rowspan=2 style="padding-right:14px;">[[Image:DVC_Ch30_Page_249-8.png|180px|left]]</td>
<td style="width:30%;">If the child does not start walking without help, let him start by pushing a simple walker, chair, or&nbsp;cart.</td>
<td rowspan=2>[[Image:DVC_Ch30_Page_249-9.png|75px|right]]</td></tr>

<tr>
<td  style="width:33%;">Do not force the child to walk alone before he is ready. He might want to start by pushing a simple walker or cart. One day he will start walking alone. 
</td></tr>
</table>





{{Previous and next sections|Early Stimulation|Helping the Blind Child Find Her Way Without Holding On}}
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[[es:Disabled_Village_Children:Como_ayudar_al_niño_a_moverse_de_un_lugar_a_otro]]
[[en:Disabled_Village_Children:Helping_the_Blind_Child_Learn_to_Move_About]]