RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

What is deafblindness?

deafblind communicating with support worker

The Department of Health defines people as deafblind "if their combined sight and hearing impairment cause difficulties with communication, access to information and mobility".

Deafblindness is also sometimes known as dual sensory impairment, dual sensory loss or multi-sensory impairment. Deafblind people may not be totally deaf and totally blind.

How many deafblind people are there in the UK?

There are about 23,000 deafblind people in the UK. Some will be totally deaf and totally blind, while many others will have some hearing and/or vision.

Congenital and acquired deafblindness

A person can be born deafblind (congenital deafblindness) or become deafblind later in life (acquired deafblindness).

Communication – congenital deafblindness

Someone who was born deafblind has special needs that cannot be met by services for people who are only deaf or only blind. They may have other physical and/or learning disabilities. People with multiple disabilities need specialist services to meet their needs.

A deafblind person can find it difficult to communicate, as people born deafblind have trouble understanding the concept of language because they have not been exposed to it naturally.

One-to-one work with deafblind children helps them understand the human interaction that is the basis of communication. Deafblind people may use symbols, objects of reference, sign language, braille and other communication systems.

Communication – acquired deafblindness

There are many causes of acquired deafblindness. Usher syndrome is a common cause.

With the right training and support, people with Usher can learn to create the best environmental conditions so that they can use what vision or hearing they have. As their vision gets worse, many people with Usher will learn to use some form of tactile (touching) communication.

Older deafblind people

The largest group of deafblind people developed hearing and vision problems as they got older. But there is a lot of support available to help someone use their remaining sight and hearing.

The following groups of older deafblind people will all need different types of help:

  • People who have developed a dual sensory loss as they have got older - the largest group.
  • People who have adapted to blindness or partial sight during their lives, and are now losing their hearing.
  • Older deaf or hard of hearing people, whose usual means of communication is speech or sign language and who are now losing their sight.
  • Older people who have had a dual sensory loss for all or most of their lives.

Some local authorities provide guidehelps or communicator guides who act as 'communicators' for deafblind people, helping them to take an active part in everyday life. This may mean helping them to go out shopping, sorting out their bills, or interpreting at the doctors - depending on their needs.

For more information about the support available and equipment for deafblind people contact Sense (external link, opens new browser window)
11-13 Clifton Terrace
Finsbury Park
London N4 3SR
telephone 0207 272 7774
textphone 0207 272 9648
fax 0207 272 6012
email enquiries@sense.org.uk