Here are other great organizations who support caregivers of very young children who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired.
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American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
AAPOS is the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. The organization's goals are to advance the quality of children's eye care, support the training of pediatric ophthalmologists, support research activities in pediatric ophthalmology, and advance the care of adults with strabismus. |
American Foundation for the Blind.
The mission of the American Foundation for the Blind is to create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired. We mobilize leaders, advance understanding, and champion impactful policies and practices using research and data. Since 1921, AFB has been a leader in expanding possibilities for the nearly 25 million Americans living with vision loss. A national nonprofit with offices in five U.S. cities, we champion access and equality, and stand at the forefront of new technologies and evidence-based advocacy. We address the most pressing needs of people with vision loss and their families, breaking down societal barriers and promoting broad systemic change. Facebook |
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is the world’s largest nonprofit organization creating educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for people who are visually impaired. APH and the Dollywood Foundation have an exciting partnership that expands Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) program to provide young children who are blind and visually impaired with accessible books in print/braille and audio formats! |
Anchor Center for Blind Children.
Anchor Center for Blind Children provides early education and intervention services for children birth to five years old who are blind or visually impaired. Our collaborative team approach to education, therapeutic and family support services ensures lifelong success. |
Braille Bug.
Braille Bug provides valuable information from the American Foundation for the Blind including a reading club and games for parents and teachers. |
Braille Institute.
Braille Institute offers multi-sensory storybook kits for preschoolers, two to five years old. Each includes a picture book with uncontracted braille overlays and manipulatives that represent the characters or concepts of the story. |
Children's Eye Foundation.
The purpose of this nonprofit is to help children to see well and have good vision for life, and to prevent the number-one cause of vision loss among children, amblyopia (lazy eye). They are advocates for vision screening in children to detect this silent disease before it steals sight. Yet many parents are confused about vision exams vs. vision screening. CEF’s Screen Eyes Early (SEE) campaign educates parents and professionals about vision screening standards and tools that make it possible to identify amblyopia early in life when treatment outcomes are best. |
Visual Impairment: Statewide Activities / Education Careers.
This website published by Colorado Department of Education provides links to valuable resources for parents and providers. Check out the bi-monthly "Keeping In Touch" newsletter. |
The Colorado Optometric Association (COA).
COA is the professional organization of optometrists in Colorado. Over 600 Colorado Doctors of Optometry are voluntary members of the Association. |
The Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind (CSDB).
CSDB is a Preschool-12th grade residential school with post high school education, located just east of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. |
CVI Scotland.
CVI Scotland is devoted to helping people understand cerebral visual impairments, and together working towards beginning to master this complex spectrum of conditions. Facebook |
Colorado Talking Book Library.
For people who can't read standard print, the Colorado Talking Book Library provides audio, Braille and large print books. |
FamilyConnect.
FamilyConnect is an online, multimedia community created to give parents of visually impaired children a place to support each other, share stories and concerns, and link to local resources. Facebook |
Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
The mission of Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired is to create personalized learning opportunities that empower people to thrive – at home, at work and in their communities. Founded in 1920 by William Hadley and Dr. E.V.L. Brown, Hadley offers courses free of charge to its blind and visually impaired students and their families, and affordable tuition to blindness professionals. Today, Hadley is the largest provider of distance education for people who are blind or visually impaired around the world, serving more than 10,000 students annually in all 50 states and in 100 countries. Hadley is also the largest educator of braille worldwide . Facebook |
HOPE.
The HOPE Company is proud to distribute quality state-of-the-art materials for children with special needs, their families, and the service providers who work with them. Many of the materials are for use in family-centered early intervention programs including materials for children who are deaf and hard of hearing, visually impaired, deafblind, multidisabled sensory impaired, and for children with any special needs. The materials have also been used enthusiastically and successfully in settings other than the home, including day care, preschool, school, hospital, and clinic settings. |
InfantSEE.
InfantSEE is a public health program, managed by Optometry Cares - The AOA Foundation, is designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child's quality of life. Under this program, AOA member optometrists provide a no-cost comprehensive eye and vision assessment for infants 6-12 months old regardless of a family's income or access to insurance coverage. |
Literacy for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss.
The goal of this site is to provide information and resources for teaching and working with children who have complex learning challenges. Specifically, the site is designed for individual state deaf-blind projects, teachers, family members and related services providers interested in beginning or enhancing literacy instruction for children who have combined vision and hearing loss.Literacy for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss. |
Little Bear Sees.
Parents of a child diagnosed with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) created this website in order to pass on what they have learned to as many people as possible. In their experience, it is often the parents or caregivers who fill the gap and become experts in CVI and advocates for their children. Facebook |
Microphthalmia Anophthalmia Parent Support (MAPS).
MAPS provides parent-to-parent support to others raising children with microphthalmia and/or anophthalmia. By sharing a wide variety of information, MAPS strives to empower parents and reduce the overwhelming feeling of isolation that is all too common when a diagnosis of microphthalmia or anophthalmia is confirmed. |
National Braille Programs.
The guiding purposes of National Braille Programs are to promote the literacy of blind children through braille and to provide access to information that empowers blind people to actively engage in work, family, and community affairs. National Braille Programs distributes attractive braille book bags to families with blind and visually impaired children, ages birth to seven, across the U.S. and Canada. |
National Federation for the Blind.
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day this organization raises the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and their dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. Facebook |
The National Organization of Parents with Blind Children.
NOPBC is a proud division of the NFB. NOPBC is a membership organization of families, friends, and educators of blind and low-vision children who support one another with encouragement and important information. Facebook |
National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation.
Founded in 1982, NOAH serves the albinism community by providing information and support. NOAH’s mission is to act as a conduit for accurate and authoritative information about all aspects of living with albinism and to provide a place where people with albinism and their families in the U.S. and Canada can find acceptance, support and fellowship. |
Patch Pals.
Patch Pals was launched by Cathy Thompson whose daughter Mackenzie had struggled with patching her eye. She knew that if eye patching was presented as something fun and exciting then children would tolerate patching time a little easier. She provides free downloadable coloring sheets, interactive games, educational worksheets, reward calendars, and many other items to give patchers activities to do while patching. Becoming a Patch Pals Club member helps the patcher feel special and unique. |
Paths to Literacy.
This website is the result of a joint project between Perkins School for the Blind and Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. By combining their resources and expertise, they hope to assist educators and families in the quest to provide literacy experiences for children who are blind or visually impaired. Facebook |
Peak Parent Center.
PEAK Parent Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has been serving families and self-advocates across the state of Colorado, and beyond, since 1986. Since its inception, PEAK has maintained a steadfast commitment to ensuring that people with all types of disabilities can be fully included in their neighborhood schools, their communities, and in all walks of life. PEAK offers an array of free and low-cost services to families of children with disabilities and self-advocates across Colorado and beyond. |
Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society.
PCVIS was created to advocate for children with CVI, heighten public awareness, and promote research and other activities that lead to improvement in vision care for children with CVI. They see a future where children with cortical visual impairment (CVI) have visual access to the world around them - a future with complete access to appropriate medical care, education, and intervention. |
Perkins School for the Blind.
Perkins School for the Blind has been a leader in the field of blindness education since its founding in 1829 and continues to break new ground with innovative programs and services for students of all abilities. The school’s legacy, combined with new technology and today's best practices, forms the foundation for Perkins eLearning – the most comprehensive, accessible professional development offering available on topics ranging from academic and vocational skills, to compensatory and adaptive skills, and beyond. Facebook |
Seedlings.
Seedlings Braille Books for Children is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to increasing the opportunity for literacy by providing high- quality, free and low- cost braille books for children. |
Strategy to See.
Strategy to See’s mission is to provide strategies, suggestions and techniques to parents, caretakers, teachers and other action heroes, who hope to encourage more consistent and efficient use of vision in children with Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment. |
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
TSBVI serves as a special public school in which students, ages six through 21, who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities, are eligible for consideration for services on the TSBVI campus. It is also a statewide resource to parents of these children and the professionals who serve them, from birth through transition from school. Facebook |
THRIVE Center.
The THRIVE Center exists to provide parents with information and training about disabilities; parent and children's rights under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and other relevant laws; and to provide resources in the Denver Metro area, especially for low-income, culturally and linguistically diverse families. |
WonderBaby.
WonderBaby.org is dedicated to helping parents of young children with visual impairments as well as children with multiple disabilities. Here you’ll find a database of articles written by parents who want to share with others what they’ve learned about playing with and teaching a blind child, as well as links to meaningful resources and ways to connect with other families. Facebook |
ZERO to THREE.
ZERO TO THREE is a nonprofit organization that works to ensure that babies and toddlers benefit from the early connections that are critical to their well-being and development. Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. Founded in 1977 by leading researchers and clinicians in diverse disciplines focused on child development, the global nonprofit organization now reaches millions of parents, professionals, and policymakers each year. |
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