A preliminary study of haptic and auditory responses in visually impaired infants

The development of the functional use of the haptic and auditory sensory systems was studied in six congenitally blind children. Subjects consisted of four boys and two girls ranging in age from 5.5 to 18 months of age at the commencement of the study. They were visited in their homes twice a month for five months, and behavioural observations and informal testi was carried out in order to determine the sequential development of haptic and auditory skills in environmental and personal interaction. The results support the observation that the haptic system is used for the location of objects prior to the use of the auditory system. Some consistent sequences in the emergence of sensorimotor skills are noted, and implications for early intervention and parent counselling are discussed.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat