Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Special Problems
of Blind Infants
Blind Baby Profile
DOROTHY BURLINGHAM
The material used in this paper stems from the author's work with the Study
Group for the Blind at the Hampstead Child-Therapy Course and Clinic, London:
Annemarie Curson, Alice Goldberger, Anne Hayman, Hansi Kennedy, Elizabeth
E. Model, and Doris Wills. The Hampstead Clinic is at present supported by the
Field Foundation, Inc., New York; the Foundation for Research in Psychoanalysis,
Beverly Hills, Calif.; the Freud Centenary Fund, London; the Anna Freud
Foundation, New York; the National Institute for Mental Health, Maryland; the
Grant Foundation, New York; the New-Land Foundation, Inc., New York; and a
number of private supporters.
3
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4 Dorothy Burlingham
FAMILY BACKGROUND
SLEEP
It is obvious that blind babies will take longer than normal ones to
establish a sleeping pattern with distinction between day and night.
Such a delay in the sleeping pattern might even prove significant
for the early diagnosis of defective vision.
It is well known that even sighted children may develop the habit
of waking in the night, wishing to play, much to the distress of their
parents. It is only logical that this happens much more frequently
with the blind for whom there is no alternation between light and
darkness.
It is worth investigating whether, in contrast to this, it is easier for
blind children to fall asleep when they are put to bed because one of
the distractions, namely, visual stimulation, is absent from the
situation.
On the other hand, the baby's favorite sleeping positions, the
specific sleeping arrangements (location, clothes), and the parental
attitudes to sleep, though they should be noted, may be expected to
be similar to those found in sighted children. Parents of blind
infants also want them to sleep at specific times.
FEEDING
6 Dorothy Burlingham
OTHER NEEDS
Although most of the needs listed for sighted children apply equally
for the blind, there are some quantitative and qualitative differ-
Copyrighted Material. For use only by BostonCollege. Reproduction prohibited. Usage subject to PEP
terms & conditions (see terms.pep-web.org).
ences for which the Profile will have to make provision. One is that
the role of auxiliary ego which every mother has to play is an
extended one; the blind child is altogether more vulnerable and
needs more protection and assistance. The other concerns the blind
infant's extreme need for response and stimulation. This is not easy
for the mothers since as sighted individuals they are more alerted to
a visual interchange and get discouraged if they receive no response
to their efforts of attracting the baby visually. The observer should
note here whether this causes the mother to withdraw or whether
she is inventive in finding other modes of interaction and stimula-
tion.
PLEASURE-UNPLEASURE SIGNS
8 Dorothy Burlingham
AGGRESSION
MOTILITY
Like the sighted, the blind infant becomes more active and more
mobile in relation to the opportunities for pleasurable discharge,
Copyrighted Material. For use only by BostonCollege. Reproduction prohibited. Usage subject to PEP
terms & conditions (see terms.pep-web.org).
10 Dorothy Burlingham
12 Dorothy Burlingham
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
SUMMARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BURLINGHAM, D. (1972), Psychoanalytic Studies ofthe Sighted and the Blind. New York:
Int. Univ. Press.
FRAIBERG, S. (1968), Parallel and Divergent Patterns in Blind and Sighted Infants.
This Annual, 23:264--300.
FREUD, A. (1965), NorTTI(J/ity and Patlwlogy in Childhood. New York: Int. Univ, Press.
FREUD, W. E. (1967), Assessment of Early Infancy. This Annual, 22:216-238.
- - (1971), The Baby Profile. This Annual, 26:172-194.
NAGERA, H. & CoLONNA, A. B. (1965), Aspects of the Contribution of Sight to Ego
and Drive Development. This Annual, 20:267-287.
WILLS, D. (1968), Problems of Play and Mastery in the Blind Child. Brit. J. Med.
Psychol., 41:213-222.
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