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Center board member Lisa Hansen, right, points out the features of a walkway at the center to her mother, Harlyne Norris. The walk is a learning tool for the children. The textured walk teaches the children to navigate various surfaces in their neighborhoods.
A sightless child is about to meet and pet a bird for a touching experience and an exercise in tactility.
Palos Verdes Peninsula News
Thursday April 8, 2004
Blind Kids Learn to "See" in Other Ways
By Frank Brown
Society Editor
Hill people help youngsters at school to look at the world in different ways. A number of women from the Peninsula last week attended a "Beeping East Egg Hunt," in which youngsters hunted for textured eggs that emit sound.
Mary Ellen McCann, director of education at the school, said, "the uniqueness of our program is that we work with families and children from birth to 5 years old. The youngest is 6 months old, but some families bring them here as soon as they get the diagnosis. We've had children as young as 5 weeks old."
McCann said the center intervenes to give support to families as well as the child. The center has a staff of 30 that works with 38 children. The infant program involves children up to 3 years of age. They come twice a week with family and might get a home visit. Those from 3 to 5 years of age are there from 9 a.m. to noon. After a nap, some are there until 3 p.m.
McCann said, "Our aim is to help children attain the best goal they can, be independent and to learn to use their other senses. The first five years are critical in helping learn through their tactile and auditory senses."
By using beeping eggs, and having the child listen for them, he or she learns to use that sense to find a egg and is rewarded with a basket.
Help from the Hill. A number of Palos Verdes residents help the work of the center. Board member Lisa Hansen chairs the center's major funder, The Tom Sullivan Celebrity Golf Classic at the Riviera Country Club, on Monday, May 3. Call (323)664-2153 for information.
Photos and research by Pat Brown