


             Questions from Kids about Blindness



              National Federation of the Blind

                     1800 Johnson Street

                  Baltimore, Maryland 21230



     We receive many letters and questions from children who

wish to learn more about blindness.  It is important for

blind children to learn that blindness will not prevent them

from living happy and normal lives, and so blind children

need to learn from good blind adult role models.  We have

developed this list of some of the most often asked

questions by blind children, and we think it is just as

important for sighted children, too.  





How does a blind person identify money?



     Coins such as nickels, pennies, dimes, and quarters are

easy to tell apart.  They all are different sizes, and

quarters and dimes have ridges around them, while pennies

and nickels are smooth.  There are many ways that paper

money--like one, five, ten, or twenty dollar bills--can be

identified.  Some blind people like to keep different bills

in separate places in their wallets, especially if it is a

larger bill that they perhaps do not often carry with them. 

The most common way to tell paper money apart is to fold the

bills in different ways.  Each person will have his or her

own way of folding them; there is no standard for everyone. 

Maybe a five dollar bill is folded in half the long way, and

a ten dollar bill is folded in half the short way.  Or maybe

the ten is folded twice.  A one dollar bill might be folded

one way or not folded at all.  Or maybe a twenty dollar bill

is folded in fourths or not at all.  Everyone uses his or

her own methods.  When we get money back from someone else,

we ask which bill is which and then fold it. 



Do blind people play games or cards?

     

     Yes.  It is easy to put Braille on decks of cards,

including cards for games like Uno.  Some cards are printed

with very large numbers and letters for people who use large

print.  Many games such as Scrabble can be played with

Braille letters and a board with   raised or tactile

squares.  Backgammon boards can also be tactile and so can

boards for chess or checkers.  These pieces can be made of

different textures, shapes, and colors to tell them apart,

or a small piece of tape can be put on one set.  Monopoly

cards can be Brailled, and the board can also be Brailled or

marked.  Yahtzee and other games using dice are easy if you

use dice with dots that you can feel and count.  Not all

games have to be made especially for the blind.  Many games

and toys that you buy at the store are easy and fun for the

blind.  Sometimes you can use your imagination to think of

ways that a blind person can use the same things as a

sighted person.



How do blind people get around?



     There are many ways for the blind to go from one place

to another.  Using a long white cane when you walk allows

someone who is blind to locate steps, curbs, streets,

driveways, doorways, bicycles, elevators, escalators,

people, chairs, tables, desks, or any other object or place. 

The cane is long enough to be about two steps ahead of your

feet as you walk, so you find things with your cane before

you get to them.  There are canes of all sizes, including

very small ones for children and long ones for tall people. 

Some blind people like to use a guide dog to get around. 

These dogs are especially trained to move around things, go

through doorways, and stop at curbs and stairs.  When the

blind person hears that it is safe to cross the street, he

or she will tell the dog to go ahead.  And when the blind

person gets to the address of the restaurant or business,

the dog will find the door.  The blind person using the dog

is always in charge and must tell the dog what to do.

     

How do blind people identify their clothes?



     Most articles of clothing will have at least one

distinct way of identifying them by feel.  They will have

different buttons or snaps or bows or ties or the fabric or

texture will be different.  Some dresses or skirts will have

belts or elastic at the waist or different kinds of pockets. 

You might know that the red shirt is the one with the funny-

shaped buttons, or the blue pants are the ones with no

pockets.  You can tell that the blouse with the fuzzy collar

is green and is the one that matches the green pants with

the belt that feels like rope.  In this way, blind people

can tell their clothes apart by touch, and they can tell

what clothes match each other.  Sometimes, however, there

may be more than one shirt or blouse that feels alike; men's

ties can feel alike also.  For these times, some blind

people like to mark their clothes in a special way in order

to tell them apart.  There are tags that are meant for

sewing in Braille labels, or use a safety pin to identify

that this is a black pair of jeans.  Some people sew a

button to the tag of a blue suit and cut out a corner of the

tag on a gray suit.  Some people make a list of the suits,

shirts, ties, and other clothes that feel alike and match

them with each other using Braille numbers and letters

attached to each piece of clothing.  When you buy something

at the store or when someone gives you clothes as a gift,

ask him or her to describe the item(s) so you can learn how

they look and how they feel.



How do blind people recognize colors?



     Some blind people are able to see some colors. 

Sometimes a blind person might have enough vision to see all

colors, or maybe he or she can only tell bright colors. 

Some blind people can see some colors but not all of them,

or they might have a hard time telling blue or black or

brown apart, or pink from white.  Some blind people do not

see any colors.  It is important to learn about colors even

if you cannot see them.  You need to learn what colors look

nice together, and what colors do not match, and about

stripes, plaids, and other patterns.  This is important for

clothing and decorating.  You need to understand that the

sky is mostly blue and grass is mostly green, and the colors

of the ocean and the colors of leaves in the fall are just

as important for the blind to know as everyone else.        



How do blind people shop for groceries?



     There are many kinds of food that can be identified by

touch, such as fruits and vegetables, hot dogs, chicken, and

other items.  But things like cans of soup, cereal boxes,

canned vegetables, gallons of milk, ice cream containers,

and other things may be hard to identify.  Many blind people

like to shop with a friend who will help to find things and

can read the different brands and types.  Or a blind person

might use a store employee who can help find the groceries. 

Some blind people (especially if they are buying a lot of

things) will make a print list for someone else to read, and

they will use a Braille list for themselves.  



What is Braille?



     Braille is a system of making raised dots on paper to

form letters and words that are read by the blind with their

fingertips.  The basic Braille "cell" consists of two

columns of three dots.  The dots are numbered 1-2-3 from top

to bottom on the left side of the cell and 4-5-6 from top to

bottom on the right side of the cell.  Each Braille letter,

word, punctuation mark, number, or musical note can be made

up using different combinations of these dots.  Braille can

be written with a Braille writing machine (similar to a

typewriter).  It can also be written by using a pointed

stylus to punch dots down through paper using a Braille

slate with rows of small "cells" in it as a guide.  This

method of writing Braille compares to writing print with a

pen or pencil.  



How do blind people read Braille?



     It takes some practice to become a good reader of

Braille, just as it does with print.  We learn Braille by

feeling the different dots in each Braille "cell" and

memorizing what the different combinations of dots stand

for.  It is best to learn Braille when you are young, even

if you can still read some print.  That way, you have had

many years of practice and experience to develop good

Braille skills by the time you are an adult.  Blind adults

can learn Braille through many different types of programs

or classes.  Good Braille readers--like good print readers--

can read much faster than they can talk.  Today blind people

use Braille to take notes in high school and college, to

write letters, to read books and magazines, to keep

addresses and phone numbers, to keep recipe files, to write

books and other materials, and to do the other things you

might do using print.  There are special libraries that

provide Braille and recorded books and magazines for the

blind free of charge.  Most states have one or more of these

libraries where blind people can borrow these materials.    



Who was Louis Braille?



     The Braille system of reading and writing was developed

by a Frenchman named Louis Braille when he was just a boy. 

He became blind through an accident, and he discovered that

trying to read raised letters was much too slow.  He wanted

a faster way for blind people to read and write.  He modeled

Braille after a system of codes used by the military, and

then he expanded his system.  For more information about

Louis Braille, please visit your school or public library.   



How do blind people cook?



     Blind people can use the same gas or electric ovens,

microwaves, grills, mixers, food processors, blenders,

electric knives, skillets, fryers, crock pots, and other

kitchen tools and appliances as the sighted use.  We can put

Braille labels on the microwave touch buttons, and some

blind people like to use Braille or a special marking glue

to put dots on some of the stove or oven temperature dials. 

It is easier to use things like measuring cups and spoons

that stack with different sizes rather than ones with lines

drawn on them.  We can tell by the smell, sound,

temperature, time of cooking, texture, and consistency how

our foods are cooking.  If you are newly blind, there are

special training programs to help you learn to cook without

vision.  Some blind people, just like some sighted people,

will enjoy cooking more than others.  



How do blind people know what is in the can or package on

the shelf?



     Many different foods and packages can be identified by

the size, shape, or kind of container they come in.  Boxes

of spaghetti, ketchup bottles, tuna cans, bags of rice or

beans, flour, sugar, coffee or tea, chocolate syrup, peanut

butter jars, nuts, and other kinds of snacks are some of the

packages that are easy to tell what they are.  Other things,

like cans of vegetables or fruit, soups, sauces, cake mixes,

and some spices can be labeled in Braille, or a portion of

the wrapper can be torn off to tell the tomato soup from the

chicken soup.  Some Braille labels are written on cards,

that can be used many times and are attached to the can or

package with a rubber band.  Sometimes you can use smell or

taste to tell things apart.  Cinnamon is very different from

pepper, and grape jelly is different from strawberry.  Some

blind people like to label their foods right at the store as

they buy them, and some people like to do this at home with

someone who can read the labels to them.  Each blind person

will have his or her own way of identifying or labeling

different packages.   



What is the White Cane Law?



     Each state has a law that says blind people using canes

or dogs have the same rights of public access as the

sighted.  This means that blind people can take their canes

and dogs into public buildings, businesses, offices,

restaurants, theaters, roller skating arenas, bowling

alleys, amusement parks, on busses, trains, planes, and

other public places.  These laws were established from the

work of the National Federation of the Blind to make sure

that blind people have the same rights as everyone else.



Why do some blind people use dogs and others use canes for

travel?



     It is simply a matter of personal choice.  Some blind

people like using canes better, and some enjoy using dogs. 

No matter what you choose, the most important thing is that

blind people are able to go wherever they want, whenever

they want, independently.



How does a blind person tell time?



     There are watches that open up so a blind person can

feel where the hands are and can feel Braille dots at the

different hour points.  There are also talking watches that

speak the time and have an alarm built in.  And there are

many talking clocks that have many different types of alarms

that people can use in their home, in their office, or when

they travel.  For people who can read some print, there are

also clocks and watches with large print faces.



How does a blind man shave or tie a necktie?



     Blind men can do each of these things by feel, without

looking, just like sighted men.  With practice, shaving and

tying ties become habit and routine, and you can do them

without even thinking about it very much.  Some men like to

shave in the shower, and some do not.  Men can feel where

they need to shave, and if they have beards or mustaches,

they can feel where to trim them.  Actual shaving

techniques, such as how long to make each stroke or what

angle to use, or what types of shaving products to use, are

a matter of personal choice and are the same for men whether

they are blind or sighted.  Tying ties can take a bit of

practice if you are sighted, too.  Once you have learned the

kinds of knots and what length is correct for you, you can

tie a tie easily; you do not have to look in a mirror or see

it.  Some men learn how to do these things from their

fathers, older brothers, friends, from seeing it done on

television, or from reading about it.  



How does a blind woman put on make-up and do her hair?



     Each of these things can be done without using a mirror

or any vision.  It can take some practice in the beginning,

but blind women do as good of a job with their make-up and

hair as sighted women.  It is often helpful to work with

someone who can show you some techniques when you are first

learning.  You can feel the different ways of drying,

curling, or styling your hair.  You can feel when the hair

is right, or if you have missed a spot.  You can apply make-

up by touch, by feeling the different places where you want

different kinds of the make-up to be.  You may want to learn

the colors that are best for you by asking people whose

opinions you trust until you discover what you like best. 

As in cooking, some blind women will like wearing more make-

up and styling their hair more than others, just like

sighted women.

  

What kind of jobs do blind people have?



     Just about anything.  Here's a list of some occupations

in which blind people are working today, but there are many

more.  Farmers, lawyers, secretaries, factory workers, drill

press and lathe operators, nurses, restaurant managers,

child care workers, social workers, computer programmers,

insurance salespeople, chemists, housewives, doctors, gas

station attendants, teachers, professors, telephone

operators, counselors, maintenance workers and janitors,

scientists, engineers, hardware and toy store managers,

librarians, beauty operators or cosmetologists, car

mechanics and repair people, electrical engineers,

stockbrokers, accountants, journalists, and many, many more. 

If you believe you can do the job, and if your employer

believes you can, there are very few jobs blind people

cannot do.  It is most important for blind people to have

the chance to choose whatever job they want, and for the

public to give blind people the opportunity.  



Where do blind children go to school?



     In the past most blind children went away from home to

attend residential schools for the blind.  There still are

special schools for blind children in most states.  Now,

however, most blind children are able to attend school in

their home communities.  Most children who now attend the

residential schools for the blind have other disabilities in

addition to blindness.  Blind children in public schools are

in regular classrooms, and use a cane and read and write

Braille.  These blind students might work some of the time

with a special teacher who would also help get the special

books needed by blind children.  These Braille books would

contain the same things your books would have in print. 

Blind children take the same classes that the other kids the

same age take.  At first, the special teacher would correct

the papers that would be in Braille, until the blind student

learned to type the work on a typewriter.  Then, any teacher

could correct the papers.       



How does a blind person know he's in front of his house?



     Blind people can use many cues to help them find

addresses and places.  Learning to locate specific addresses

is an important part of getting around.  In addition to

this, we can locate places by looking for perhaps the second

driveway on the right, the third set of stairs on the left,

or the house with the wooden fence along the sidewalk.  We

can also look for the large tree in the front, the signpost,

or a special kind of door.  Blind people help to keep track

of where they are and where they are going by using

directions such as north, south, east, or west, and by using

other cues, such as a busy one-way street, an empty lot, or

a schoolyard.  Any of these kinds of information can help

blind people travel from one place to another.  And if it is

someplace where you are a lot (like your home or office) you

become very familiar with it.

  

How does a blind person know when to cross the street?



     A blind person can tell when it's safe to cross the

street by listening to the sounds of the traffic.  If there

is a light at the intersection, it is easy to hear when the

cars going across in front of you begin to slow down and

stop, and when the cars along the side of you start to move. 

Then you know the light has changed and you have the green

light to cross.  You can even start to listen for this when

you are a half of a block away.  If there is no light, you

can simply listen to hear if there are any cars coming.  



Should I help a blind person to cross the street?



     If a blind person asks you for help, then you may

certainly help.  You can ask if any help is needed, but

understand that the answer may be "no."  Blind people, if

they have learned to use a cane or dog and travel

independently, may not need help.  It is important not to

grab someone who is blind.  If a blind person wants help, he

or she may take your arm, or simply walk beside you.  Some

blind persons may have a harder time hearing the cars and

traffic, especially if there is construction or a lot of

noise around the area.  Then they might want help that they

might not need other times.



Should I help a blind person to a chair?



     The same rules apply here.  Some blind people will

appreciate help in locating a chair, but some can find

chairs, tables, and desks on their own.  Sometimes a blind

person may ask where the chairs or tables are, then go to

them on his or her own.   



How does it feel to be blind?



     When you are newly blind, in the beginning, it can feel

frustrating or scary.  This is because you have not learned

how to do things for yourself as a blind person.  But once

you learn the skills that blind people use, you no longer

feel that way.  Blind people do the same things as sighted

people.  We go to school or work, and we do the things that

we need to do.  We do this naturally, without even thinking

about being blind.  The blindness becomes just another part

of who we are and what we are like.  We don't think about

being blind every day, just like you don't think every day

about whether or not you have red hair or brown hair.  



Who was Helen Keller?



     Helen Keller was both deaf and blind.  Although she had

to fight to get the opportunity, she graduated from

Radcliffe College.  She wrote several books and worked hard

to improve opportunities for the deaf and the blind.  At the

time when she lived, people who were both deaf and blind did

not have very many opportunities.  Now there is better

education, training, employment, and other opportunities for

the deaf-blind.  You can learn more about Helen Keller from

your school or public library. 



What causes blindness?



     There are many things which cause blindness.  Sometimes

babies are born blind, but most blind people become blind

later on.  Glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are

the three most common causes of blindness today.  Many older

persons lose their vision from macular degeneration.  Some

people become blind through accidents.  



Will I learn more about blindness if I close my eyes or wear

a blindfold?



     No, it is not a good idea to try to pretend to be

blind.  As a matter of fact, you could get just the opposite

impression about what it is like to be blind.  You might

have a hard time finding things, you might bump into things,

you might knock something over, or you might hurt yourself. 

You might feel frightened, frustrated or confused; then you

might think this is what it is like for blind people.  But

it is not like that for us.  Blind people (depending on how

long they've been blind) have training and experience that

you do not have, and we know how to do things (sometimes

differently) that you do not.  It is easier for us than it

would be for you.  If you want to learn more about

blindness, instead of pretending to be blind, you might want

to ask a blind person to talk with you.  Perhaps you will

want to contact a local chapter of the National Federation

of the Blind.



Do blind people feel bad about being blind?  Do they like to

talk about it?



     Most blind people are too busy to think about blindness

very much.  But being blind is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Blindness is a perfectly respectable characteristic of a

person.  Most blind people would be glad to answer any

questions you have about blindness, just ask them.  When

someone first loses sight, then he or she might be unhappy. 

After receiving special help to learn how to do things as a

blind person and having a more positive attitude about being

blind, then a person can learn to feel okay about blindness. 





     I hope these questions have helped you to learn more

about blindness and blind people.  If you wish more

information I hope you will contact us

