6th Africa Forum, Kampala, Uganda

Scaling Up Services For Visually Impaired with Multiple Disabilities in Kenyan Communities.

J. Wainaina, Nairobi Family Support Services, Kenya.

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A child with Visually Impaired with Multiple Disabilities is a child who has visual and auditory impairment with one or more other handicapping conditions such as physical, intellectual, emotional and/or learning disabilities. Many children who are Visually Impaired with Multiple Disabilities have a degree of brain damage, with not just the sensory channels of vision and hearing being affected but also other systems such as tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, olfactory and gustatory. Limitation in one of these areas can have a definite effect on a child functioning and development, even for children who are visually impaired without brain damage. This paper tries to detail different types of Visually Impaired with Multiple Disabilities conditions, and explains what those affected might expect. It notes that a child who has Visually Impaired with Multiple Disabilities requires a number of professionals and support services to adequately provide for his/her development. The author goes further to explain the specific types of professional and support services that families need including financial, educational, clinical, psychological, and, transitional services in detail. Finally, the author gives suggestions and directions on where and/or how each of these professionals or services can be accessed.