Journey Through the World of Sensory Impairments

When my daughter was five years old, we first realized that she might have a hearing impairment. She was born with multiple disabilities, and as we tried to connect with her and understand her world, we began to sense that something more might be affecting her ability to hear.

Because communication was already difficult, it took specialized testing—an Auditory Brainstem Response—to give us answers. The results showed that she was completely deaf in her left ear and had a moderate hearing loss in her right ear.

That diagnosis began a new journey for our family. We wanted to help her connect with the world around her, so we began learning American Sign Language together.

Learning ASL was both a blessing and a challenge. In many places we go, it can be difficult to find others who communicate using sign language. But for our daughter and our family, it opened a door we had never been able to unlock before. For the first time, she had a way to express herself more freely. It gave her a level of independence and connection that she had never experienced before.

As we spent more time communicating through ASL, I began to notice something unexpected. My daughter often watched people signing from the corner of her eye rather than looking directly at them. That small observation became my first clue that something else might be going on with her vision.

With the help of our incredible therapy team and the educators who support her, we began exploring the possibility of a visual impairment. Eventually, she was evaluated and diagnosed with Cortical Visual Impairment.

That diagnosis opened up an entirely new world of understanding—and new ways for her to learn.

This journey has involved a lot of trial and error. Along the way we have learned many small strategies, adjustments, and insights that helped my daughter access her world more fully. On this page, I hope to share some of those tips and ideas.

Every child is different, and what worked for my daughter may not work for every child. But if something we learned helps another family feel less alone or helps a child take one more step toward connection, then sharing our journey is worth it.