Blind and Sighted Toddlers independent walking explained

Independent walking is a sensory-motor process meaning it relies both on developing motor skills and the developing sensory skills. Independent walking relies on developing balance and infants begin to experience standing balance using touch. For example, pulling to stand and cruising.
Cruising is holding on to a couch or wall to walk. They are using their sense of touch for balance. Sighted toddlers transition to relying on vision for balance – evident in this little girl looking intently at the floor.
Once a child let’s go vision takes over as the primary balance sense and the ability to walk well in sighted toddlers is usually completed by 18 months. Walking well means they use narrow base of support, and they walk a lot.
We now understand that holding on is the blind and mobility visually impaired child’s adaptation to not having vision for balance, so there is a need for parents and educators to provide toddlers who are blind and mobility visually impaired with a substitute.
A pediatric belt cane is a moving source of haptic feedback that enables blind toddlers to achieve their independent walking milestones when they are allowed to wear the belt cane most of the day.
For more information – safetoddles.org