“Getting to make connections with peers that can fully understand what your experience of the world is like is essential, especially when you’re growing into young adulthood.”
Oscar is an intelligent 14-year-old with a passion for History and Geography.
Having septo-optic dysplasia since birth, his mother Chantal found that it took a lot of convincing doctors before they believed that Oscar had a multi-sensory impairment.
Pretty soon after giving birth, she noticed that the newborn’s eyes weren’t tracking movement, and he rarely reacted to loud noises. Countless visits to GPs and doctors proved redundant, with one midwife even suggesting Chantal was simply suffering from postnatal depression. She knew that something wasn’t right, however, and decided that if a private paediatrician told her she was imagining things, she would feel confident that Oscar was okay.
They were then referred to an ophthalmologist, who found that Oscar’s optic nerve was extremely thin, leading to tunnel vision and short-sightedness. Great Ormand’s Street Hospital did further genetic testing, finding that he was missing part of a chromosome. Chantal wasn’t crazy; Oscar had a rare syndrome known as Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy.
Oscar didn’t find out about Berkshire Vision until a couple of years ago, and was shocked that no one had mentioned them before. Going to a special educational needs school means he gets the chance to hang out with likeminded children, but he had never met anyone else his age with sight loss.
Since discovering Berkshire Vision, Oscar has attended a plethora of activities, finding that the fact that his sighted older brother can attend alongside him means he gets a bit of support and familiarity while trying out new things.
Rock climbing, swimming, go-karting, museum visits and theatre shows are some of the many things that Oscar has been able to try out with Berkshire Vision, but the thing he’d love to try again is Try a Train. Try a Train gives young people the chance to try out accessible public transport. They are signposted to accessible features of the station and trains, giving them a sense of independence balanced with the support of Berkshire Vision and station staff. As someone with a keen interest in transport and engineering, Oscar loved being able to look up close and touch parts of train tracks, as well as feeling a sense of accomplishment after getting on the train himself!
Oscar also enjoyed the residential at Ufton Court, mixing with other peers and where he learned how to make his lunch, help with dinner and be more independent. Residentials like these are transformative for young adults and teens with sight loss, allowing them to experience independent living with the support of staff and volunteers, and making the jump to adulthood less daunting.
During a trip to Reading Museum, Oscar met a member who also has vision and hearing loss. Getting to make connections with peers that can fully understand what your experience of the world is like is essential, especially when you’re growing into young adulthood. Oscar is excited to meet this member again, especially since they both also share a love of history!
Oscar is very excited to move to Upper School this Summer, as well as continuing his extra-curricular studies outside of the adapted curriculum at his own school.