DEAFBLINDNESS is a severe, multisensory impairment (combination of visual and hearing impairments), most of the times associated with other types of deficiencies.

DEAFBLINDNESS causes major difficulties in communication, access to information, orientation and mobility.

Deafblindness/Multisensory impairments categories:

1.       Hearing and visual impairments, either congenital or acquired in early childhood – DEAFBLINDNESS;

2.       Congenital hearing impairment, acquired visual impairments – DEAFBLINDNESS;

3.       Congenital visual impairment, acquired hearing impairments – DEAFBLINDNESS;

4.       Acquired visual and hearing impairments – DEAFBLINDNESS;

5.       Congenital al or acquired visual impairment, associated with other deficiencies such as learning, communication or physical deficiency – MULTISENSORY IMPAIRMENTS;

6.       Congenital al or acquired hearing impairment, associated with other deficiencies such as learning, communication or physical deficiency – MULTISENSORY IMPAIRMENTS.

Causes:

Cause unknown

Congenital Rubella Syndrome

Usher Syndrome

Prematurity

Birth trauma

Refsum Syndrome

Congenital Cytomegalovirus

Hunter Syndrome

Meningitis

Encephalitis

CHARGE Association (Syndrome)

Down Syndrome

Congenital Toxoplasmosis

Congenital Syphilis

Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

Rett Syndrome