Sensorially impaired adolescents

Abstract

Information from publications by Lidz, Piaget, and Erickson to describe “normal adolescence” and the developmental tasks of that age is brought together in this paper. Primary sources were de la Cruz and LaVeck and Spock and Lerrigo for information on impaired young people and problems in their adaptation.

Part of a baseline to describe the adolescent period with its sexual drive, are attitudes on the part of those who would help. Nonjudgementalism is necessary so as not to seal off any possibility of communication with those we are trying to help. A second attitude, universalism, comes from sharing with other persons in such a way that one perceives the many similarities between himself and his behavior and other human beings. Honesty is necessary for us to be aware and able to help others be aware that concerns about reproduction and hygiene do not make up the whole of sexuality, affection, intimacy, and closeness are also part of the human sexual experience.

In their homes and in educational settings, we consider multi-impaired children first as children, second as impaired children. The deaf-blind adolescent child and youth is first an adolescent in contemporary American society. His impairments have caused vital limitations, yet he has the same life tasks and physical push of unimpaired adolescents.