Strategies in deafblind education based on neurological principles.
Jan P.M. Van Dijk, Margot J.M. Klomberg, Catherine Nelson.

The life of a congenital deafblind child can be described as imprecise, unpredictable and unfiltered. The child does not know which stimulus to orientate to. By carefully observing the child it can be determined which specific stimuli elicit approach or withdrawal behaviour. By using continuously "approach" stimuli a chain of orientative reactions can be elicited : These lay the foundation for attachment behaviour and communication. In an early intervention program for deafblind children the neural mechanisms of the orienting reflex play a fundamental role. These mechanisms will be discussed and illustrated by video recordings.