Compensatory functions

Finally, we need to remember to briefly assess the compensatory functions, hearing, kinaesthetic, haptic and tactile sensitivity of the child. If hearing is not symmetric and normal, it can make auditory orientation in space difficult or impossible. Such a child needs to be examined by an ENT-doctor and an audiologist with a specific question on auditory orientation. All visually impaired children need to have their hearing assessed as a part of their basic examination when vision impairment is diagnosed and later regularly during pre-school and school years.

If the child has hypersensitive hands, it may lead to tactile defensiveness that needs to be considered as an additional functional problem in the training of the child. If the child has reduced tactile sensitivity in his/her hands, especially in the fingers, this needs to be also known by all teachers. We use a lot of tactile information without thinking on it, so the loss of this important source of information requires careful compensation.

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