Mabel's story
Starting school for any four-year-old is a big step. But for Mabel, and her family who live in Lancashire, the day was especially emotional. It was a day they weren’t sure would ever come. At just a few months old, Mabel’s parents were told ‘she’s blind and will never be able to see’. Feeling alone they reached out to Guide Dogs hoping for some help.
In the past three years, our children’s habilitation specialists have taught Mabel the skills to get around independently, and she has grown in confidence. And with our support, her parents’ outlook has transformed from one of crisis, to coping, to now feeling positive about their little girl’s future.
It’s been a bumpy road but the constant throughout for us and Mabel has been Guide Dogs. I feel good about Mabel’s future now. There is no limit to what she can do, and she can’t be defined by her vision impairment. The impact Guide Dogs has had is immeasurable.
“I had a typical pregnancy with Mabel. Our first son Ernie was born premature at 29 weeks, so I had extra scans and appointments, but everything came back fine. But when Mabel was about three or four weeks old, we realised she wasn’t focusing on things properly, she wasn’t reaching out to grasp things,” says mum, Eboni.
Max continues, “I didn’t really want to think that it was anything bad, I thought maybe she was taking a little longer to reach her milestones.” But Eboni knew something just wasn’t right so contacted the health visitor, who referred Mabel for her first ophthalmology appointment at nine weeks old.
“Originally I thought maybe she needed glasses, I presumed it wouldn’t be something too serious. I had to go to the appointment on my own because it was Covid, so I couldn’t take Max. The doctor did some tests and basically just turned around and said to me ‘Mabel is blind’. And at the time I was so in shock I didn’t really take in anything else she said.”
Max continues, “Eboni called me, upset. When you hear the word ‘blind’ it’s almost like a life has ended because you keep thinking of the things your daughter won’t be able to do. I thought she’ll miss out on nature, seeing colours, playing with her friends. I just kept thinking about all the things she would struggle to do with a vision impairment.”
Mabel was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, which affects around one in 10,000 births. Eboni explains, “It means when I was pregnant her optic nerves didn’t develop properly. As she grows doctors have said her vision might improve but no one can know for sure. Hearing that diagnosis, Max and I just sat at home on the internet, and it became a bit of an addiction trying to get answers on what kind of life she would be able to lead.”
Reaching out to Guide Dogs
Meeting the habilitation specialist from Guide Dogs put us at ease. We finally felt like we were being listened to and could speak to people who knew what it meant to have a blind child, and how to best help Mabel and us.
Eboni continues, “Mabel was about ten months old when she saw her first habilitation specialist from Guide Dogs. She came into Mabel’s nursery and spoke to staff about changes they could implement to help her. She also spoke to us about what we could do at home to help Mabel get around easier. After that first session I felt so much relief – we had been on our own for so long and now there was somebody who was going to come in and help us.”
Mabel has had regular habilitation sessions from Guide Dogs helping her build skills at home and nursery. “I think without those sessions Mabel wouldn’t be anywhere near as confident as she is now. As parents, we didn’t know what we were doing with a white cane, or how she should be using it. But now Mabel loves using her cane and dinging signs and lampposts. She has started trailing walls with the back of her hand and in the last six months she got to the stage where she is confident enough to walk around at home without holding onto anything,” says Eboni.
As well as helping Mabel, Max says the sessions also helped him as a dad, and the whole family, understand and come to terms with her vision impairment. “Right at the beginning I struggled to interact with Mabel, I didn’t know how to play with her. Guide Dogs has helped us understand, as sighted parents, the world for Mabel. They have signposted us to support and been a shoulder to cry on. Everyone we have worked with, at Guide Dogs has felt like they are an extension of our family.”
Starting school
When Mabel turned three, she began working with Guide Dogs Habilitation Specialist Sunita, who herself has a vision impairment since birth. Eboni says, “Mabel loves Sunita. They have such a fantastic connection and Mabel has become so much more confident since they began working together. As parents it was also an eye opener to realise that Mabel could one day get a job doing something as amazing as Sunita does.”
Sunita adds, “Mabel is one of the youngest children I have worked with, but together we’ve been focusing on body awareness, pre cane skills like trailing with your fingers, and cane skills which was something the family were really keen for Mabel to use. And then as she turned four, I began working with Mabel on her transition to primary school. “
Max adds, “To be honest I was scared about Mabel starting school. I thought she would struggle, I didn’t know if she would need specialist provision or could be with her brother. There were a lot of sleepless nights. But Guide Dogs and Sunita have supported us through the whole process.”
“Before we even visited the school, Sunita gave access advice to the teachers, showed them any improvements they should make for a student with vision impairments. Guide Dogs got in touch with the right contacts in the local council to help arrange for a vision support teacher (a QTVI to help Mabel learn braille).”
Sunita continues, “For any four-year-old it’s a big step, but for a child who is blind or partially sighted, it can be that much harder. It was important Mabel was confident getting around the classroom independently. We came in at quiet times and explored the classroom and the dinner hall and the outside spaces as well.”
“As a habilitation specialist, it’s so lovely to see how Mabel has settled into school. She’s a lot more independent, she’s more confident, she’s making new friends. I have a vision impairment myself, and this is why I am so passionate about the work I do. I know how important it is for children and young people to learn those early independence skills, so they can fulfil all their future goals and ambitions. I always say to the children I work with, dream big. Having a vision impairment isn’t a barrier.”
Mabel’s habilitation sessions from Guide Dogs are continuing now she is at school, and her family say they believe with them she will continue to thrive. Eboni says, “Mabel is just everything we could have ever dreamed of. She’s amazing and has the brightest future. Without the support from Guide Dogs we’d probably still be in our bubble of naivety, unsure how to access the world for Mabel. Guide Dogs has had such a massive impact, not just physically for Mabel, but also emotionally for all of us as a family.”