A multidisciplinary approach to the problems of the multihandicapped blind child

A multidisciplinary team is described which was developed for dealing with the complex problems of the visually handicapped child in British Columbia. One hundred blind children were studied. Optic atrophy was the most frequent type of ocular pathology, followed by cataracts and retinopathy of prematurity. The most common etiological basis of blindness was genetic followed by unknown, infective and due to excessive neonatal oxygen. Seventy-seven percent of the patients had one to seven additional disabilities. The role of the physician in the handling of blind children and the need for him to be increasingly exposed to the chronically handicapped in his training are emphasized.