Early intervention often focuses on communication needs first. Children who are deafblind can't communicate like other children, and parents need to accept this and adapt to it. Including the child in the family might mean learning sign language or learning to be more descriptive in their communication. A second issue for parents of children who are deafblind is mobility. Parents must learn how to make the home environment safe for a low-vision or blind child, and how to encourage the child's motor development.
Early intervention is available for families no matter where they live.
Services may include transportation to and from special facilities, home visits from professionals trained to teach families how to adapt, and more. Parent support groups are often available, and give parents an appropriate and often much-needed outlet for their feelings of frustration and someone who can share their triumphs. If the person's sensory disabilities are great, and if people in the environment have not made an effort to order the world for him or her in a way that makes it easier to understand, this challenge may be overwhelming. Miles goes on to point out that behavioral and emotional problems are not uncommon for people who are deafblind, and are a normal response to the person's inability to communicate and understand the world. Family and friends who surround people who are deafblind must be aware of this and knowledgeable about what to do to make the world more predictable and safe.