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• Braille
• Posted: 2009-03-26 10:00:56 By Brian O
• Hi All,
  I just read an article stating that fewer than 10 pct. of blind Americans read Braille (link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090326/ap_on_re_us/fea_lifestyles_braille_literacy)
  
  My 5 year old son Dylan has Usher Type 2a with mod-severe hearing loss since birth and has worn hearing aids with great success since 8 weeks old attending an auditory-oral program through the Clarke school until this year. He is currently in mainstream kindergarten doing well. His vision has not been impaired yet.
  
  What are people's thoughts on getting him braille reading training or your own experiences in this area? Is technology far enough along to remove the need for braille? The article suggests otherwise.
  
  Thanks for your thoughts,
  Brian

• Braille
• Posted: 2009-03-26 10:09:30 By Brian O
• Add on, thought I would leave my email if anyone wanted to respond directly.
  
  Brian (ohara_brian@yahoo.com)

• Posted: 2009-04-02 09:39:50 By Michael M
• Brian,
  I have Ushers Type 2 and a 5 year old as well. I never had a need for Braille and I'll be 40 next year. Although vision loss differs by person, my vision was fine until my 20s. I have difficulty at night and lost some peripheral (I'm constantly tripping over my kid's toys). Just focus on your son's transition to hearing aids (both emotional and physical).
  Mike
  msmerino@netzero.net

• braille?
• Posted: 2010-07-12 09:54:11 By Andrew B
• I'm 34 with usher type 2b. I drove until 26, and I'm 34 atm. I don't plan to learn braille, if at all, until my fifties, and hopefully not then. There are more severe types of Usher however that it may be necessary. For now, simply raise him as you would any other child imo.

• Brian with the (then) 5 year old son Dylan with Ushers, Type II
• Posted: 2012-07-18 16:21:34 By Kristine H
• I just had to respond to this even though it is from 2009 (!) My son Dylan has Usher Type II as well though wasn't diagnosed until he was 13 y.o. My son is now 25 and is doing amazingly well, will be graduating from college with a double major and a minor (poli sci/international relations/economics)and then wants to head off to law school. Brian: Dylan has never learned Braille and I don't think he will ever need to with all the wonderful technology that is available - by now...3 years later, I am sure you have reached the same conclusion for your Dylan.
  I hope to get back to this message board often and if anyone has any questions or thoughts for me...a Mom of a young man with Ushers, just post a reply.
  Thanks -
  Kristine, Portland, Maine