THINKING OF SEEING

Daughter’s impairment necessitates changes at home

Nearly three weeks after my first daughter was born, we started to notice something was not working right with her eyes. They seemed to be constantly and rapidly shifting side to side. Later, I would become familiar with the term for this, nystagmus. It was not just the vacillation either. We noticed that she was not responding to verbal cues. I would put her under a mobile in her crib and she would not seem to see it. We also noticed that unless we made some noise when we came in to get her out of her crib, we?would startle her. We soon learned that she had something called ocular albinism ... and it was our fault.

Now, before jumping to conclusions about causes, like improper prenatal care or the fact that I scaled Mount?Saint Helens four weeks before delivery (which I may or may not have done), rest assured that the cause was simply genetic. Both myself and her father were carriers of this rare gene, and we had no idea.

Ocular albinism results from the reduction of normal pigment cells in the eyes.

This affects visual acuity and causes nystagmus, and extreme light sensitivity, resulting in various levels of visual impairment. It is from this background that I brought a hyperawareness to the topic of housing accessibility for the visual and hearing impaired.

As an industry, with?both new builds and existing?homes, we are generally?aware that some of the?population needs accommodation

for locomotor impairments. However, it is far less often that we think about making accommodations for other impairments not related to motor skills. We quickly learned that my daughter needed high-contrast colors,?little glare and high-tactile surfaces. Edges of steps needed to be banded with a contrast color on the edges to prevent tripping. She needed railings on all the staircases, and walls free from décor from eye level down (which was not ever difficult since she is only 4-foot-10).

For the hearing impaired, large rooms are helpful, with fewer walls and barriers that may prevent seeing visual cues or reading lips or hand signs (ASL, not the kind made when driving next to some dork who cuts others off in traffic). However, vaulted ceilings are not. Tall ceilings cause noise to reverberate, making it more difficult to hear. Good lighting is also?imperative for the same purpose. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should offer the option of flashing bright lights.

Most of these options can be built into a new home or can be remodeled into an existing home. For us, the glass table was the first thing to go; the television was the second; too much glare and not enough contrast. As a side note, we didn’t miss that, or the glass table.

Today, my oldest daughter has gone to college, works full time and teaches violin classes. She also drives. Although albinism cannot be “fixed” or even altered by glasses or surgery, with the help of early intervention,?the amazing programs at?the schools for the deaf?and the blind and a good?old-fashioned miracle?(luck, phenomenon or?whatever you prefer to?call it), her vision progressively?matured and, as of her?last appointment, she?is the best-case scenario with this specific diagnosis that the local medical community has seen ... pardon the pun. As a precaution, however, when out driving and you spot a bright blue 2017 Honda Civic with a tiny blonde girl behind the wheel, it would serve you well to stay clear.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or?[email protected].

Jen Fischer

Guest columnist