Naples News
Blind and visually impaired Collier residents get new tech, gain independence – July 18, 2018
Inspirational Stories
Meet Ashley
Ashley is a 1-year-old only child with macular dystrophy with amblyopia. Home visits with Ashley are a family affair. She is a busy and active toddler, eager to interact with people, objects, and opportunities for meaningful play in the home.
On the first Lighthouse staff visit, her parents intuitively set up a route for Ashley to travel through where she could crawl and feel things of different sizes and textures, such as tile and carpet. A game with balloons demonstrated how Ashley tracked them as they rose in the air.
During a subsequent visit, the staff person brought children’s beach items, including a beach towel, plastic bucket, shovel, and sea creatures to find on the towel. Ashley was able to pick up the objects and put them in the bucket. It was evident that Ashley is a fast learner. She began to operate cause-and-effect toys, pressing buttons on a play phone and playing a musical keyboard mat on the floor.
After some time had passed since an in-person home visit, during a virtual visit it was incredible to witness that Ashley is walking, learning from educational TV programs, turning pages in her books, and loves swimming and shopping with her parents. Surely, visits to come will highlight new surprises and developments!
