Division on Visual Impairments

VIDBE-Q 66.4 FALL 2021

A quarterly newsletter from the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Visual Impairments containing practitioner tips for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and other professionals.

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VIDBE-Q Volume 66 Issue 4 year. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicate that 7.1% and 3.2% of children ages 3-17 have a diagnosed anxiety or depression disorder, respectively. In fact, rates of being diagnosed with either anxiety or depression among children increased from 5.4% in 2003 to 8.4% in 2011-2012. Reasons for Increased Mental Health Difficulties There are several reasons why children with visual impairments may be at- risk for increased mood disorders. One major reason is the lack of opportunities they may have in forming and maintaining social relationships with peers. Huurre, Komulainenm and Aro (2001) suggested that young people with visual impairments often had fewer opportunities to make friends and because of this risked facing social isolation. Children benefit from friendships as they help create a sense of belonging and serve as means to reduce stress. Friendships also help children adjust to changes within their environment. It has been suggested that the greater difficulty in making friends for children with visual impairments are in part because youth with visual impairment spend more time in solitary and parallel play rather than engaging in social interactions with their sighted classmates (Celeste, 2006). Another risk factor for children with visual impairments is the potential for them to be bullied more often than their sighted peers in the school environment (Rosemblum, 2000). Children who are bullied can experience negative physical,

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