Early intervention is vitally important for deafblind children. In the past, the age at which deafblindness is confirmed has varied widely.

The introduction of the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (for all babies) makes it much more likely that deafblind children will be identified when they are still very young babies.

There is also a national Early Support programme in which Sense is involved.  This aims to improve the delivery of services for disabled children, young people and their families.  It enables services to coordinate their activity better and provide families with a single point of contact and continuity through key working. 

More information is available in a range of recently revised and updated Early Support booklets commissioned by the Department for Education and written by Sense and others. These cover a wide range of topics including multi-sensory impairment, if your child has a rare condition, childcare, sleep, and speech, language and communication needs.

For further information please view our pages on:

• Helping your child to eat
  Practical information about the problems some deafblind children have with eating as well as advice on how to solve these issues
• Your child and personal care
  Information about personal care and the issues some deafblind children may face as well as practical advice on how to overcome these issues
• Helping your child learn through play
  Information on different approaches you can use with a deafblind child to encourage them to learn through play 
• Your child and sleeping
  Information about how you can help your child with sleeping, including possible causes of the problem and approaches which may help 
• Mobility, orientation and guiding
  Information and some practical ideas for guiding children and helping them to find their way around
• Children’s Specialist Services
• Opening Doors (support package)
• Causes and associated conditions