Utilizing New Data from Babies Count

What does it mean and why does it matter? Join us to find out.

Today’s circumstances have led us to look for new ways to connect. All over the country, early interventionists are doing home visits with families of babies and toddlers, often over Zoom or other videoconferencing platforms. As they are getting to know families and offering support, they are also gathering epidemiological and demographic data about their children with visual impairments and the systems created to support them. Each piece of data collected is added together to create a comprehensive collection of information. And when that collection is analyzed, it becomes knowledge that will help guide our field into the future.

The changing face of blindness is evident in the data analysis of information from over 2,000 children ages birth to three in the nationwide Babies Count Registry. Developed to record information about children receiving services by early interventionists who specialize in visual impairment, the registry has been web-based since 2016.

Data from the registry has been analyzed just four times over the 25 years of its existence. Today, the American Printing House for the Blind and New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired are committed to regular analysis of the data and periodic publications on the results. Information about this year’s analysis will be shared at the APH Annual Meeting, held virtually in October.

What will you learn?

• Leading causes of blindness in children birth-three across 18 states
• Additional disabilities and conditions found in these children
• Information about family constellation for children
• Time of referral and services delivery
• Transition experiences

Data from the Babies Count Registry will help inform the future of pre-service for teachers and counselors, product development, and programming for future students and adults with visual impairment. Join us in October to learn more about the changing face of blindness as we explore Babies Count.

Learn more and register for our 2020 Annual Meeting being held virtually October 7-9th.

In the meantime, you can learn more by visiting the Babies Count Website.