Things seem to appear from and disappear into nowhere. People touch and move the students without warning and for seemingly no reason. These students often have tantrums or become fearful when they are handled in this way. Touch cues are one way to give the students information about what is going to happen. Parents and teachers use many of these cues with young students with dual sensory impairments.
Parents naturally touch their infants in a specific way before picking up or moving the child.
These early cues given many times in the same way allow the student to know someone is present and that something is about to happen. Using touch cues consistently in daily routines allows the student to understand his own surroundings and the people he meets in his daily schedule. Each student needs a set of cues specific for his own situation at home, school, and work. It is very important to encourage everyone working with the student to use the same cue to help the student understand the meaning of the cue. Fact sheets from California Deaf-Blind Services are to be used by both families and professionals serving individuals with dual sensory impairments.