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.

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