Safe Toddles’ podcast co-host, Kelvin Crosby aka DeafBlind Potter, has 218,000 Tik Tok Followers and 3.4 million likes on his videos that he shares on that platform. He has several videos on Tik Tok that have gone viral- meaning hundreds of thousands of likes. The number of likes and followers enables Kelvin, Kel, to air live videos of him throwing pots. His handmade pottery business has really taken off as well. He told us that much of his success comes from telling the truth about the inaccessibility of the Tik Tok platform to people like him. He was born with Usher's Syndrome Type II. He was profoundly deaf at birth. His progressive vision loss began to impact his use of vision in his late teens, early 20s and continues to decrease. His beef with Tik Tok is that, as tech savvy as he is, there is no fix for in-access. For example, the way the app is currently designed, he cannot independently access his viewer's comments being posted while he is streaming live - as intended by the app. The other day that led to an untenable situation, he had guests throwing pots, a boy with a disability and his mother. The comments were becoming increasingly rude- unbeknownst to Kel. "If I had the access like all other Tik Tok broadcasters, I could have stopped it". That's why he will continue to pressure Tik Tok app designers to improve accessibility for all. We know Kel as co-host to our Safe Toddles podcast called-Safe Toddles Belt Cane Safe Mobility for Blind which began airing in December 2020. "Kel is more than a co-host, he is the reason we entered the podcast space at all." Explained his co-host Dr. Grace Ambrose-Zaken. If you want to hear more about Kel, from Kel- you can listen to our Safe Toddles' podcast! Click either image to be taken to our Busssprout page. Or go to Podcast page on our Safe Toddles website! Check out Kel's Deafblind Potter tik tok!! @deafblindpotter

Safe Mobility Times January 2021 Volume 1 Issue 1 When you look at this picture what do you see? text version of Newsletter: Do you see a little girl eating an ice cream? Yes. Julia is enjoying her reward for walking independently to the freezer with the purpose of obtaining of an ice cream treat. Julia is three-years-old and has light perception, she sees light, but not shapes or details. Now observe her left toe curled around the shaft of her pediatric belt cane. This observable sign indicates Julia is making sure she keeps track of something especially important to her- her cane. Belt cane tip: Provide your toddler with a specific destination and objective. Our Mission Safe Toddles’ mission is to provide toddlers who are blind with a solution for walking safely – a pediatric belt cane for clear path detection. Join us @safetoddles (Facebook, Twitter, Tok-tok, Instagram) How to Obtain a Cane Purchase a cane - $180* per cane set - cane ships approximately in three to five weeks. Free Canes - We are committed providing free canes to any child in need, because belt canes are essential safety equipment that enables toddlers with visual impairments to develop to their full potential. Option one - provide videos and feedback - cane ships in two to three months. ​ ​Safe Toddles seeks families and professionals to join our video library by contributing before and with belt cane videos. These videos assist in improving belt cane design, demonstrating outcomes to potential users and demonstrates the abilities of toddlers and preschoolers who are blind once they acquire consistently safe mobility. Everyone who is obtaining a pediatric belt cane is encouraged to consider participating by submitting videos to us - we need you! Option two - Submit measurements cane ships in four to six months. ​ *Limited quantity of reduced cost cane sets available to families (submit in-take form, use buy now to pay with a credit/debit card) Save the Dates! March 18, 2021 Dr. Grace Ambrose-Zaken will be presenting double session the importance of safe mobility to achieving developmental milestones for children who are congenitally blind or severe visually impaired Webinar 10 to 11 AM PST To Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElc-qtrjoqGtbVz8BkcTNNN8NwCflt4rIx March 26, 2021 Dr. Grace Ambrose-Zaken will be presenting double session the importance of safe mobility to achieving developmental milestones for children who are congenitally blind or severe visually impaired at the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference Part I 8:30 to 10 am MST and Part II 10:30 to noon MST To Register: https://denverearlychildhood.org/trainings-events/rocky-mountain-early-childhood-conference/ Safe Toddles Podcast https://www.safetoddles.org/podcast Episodes December 2020 1. Host introductions 2. The downside of unsafe mobility for blind babies 3. Exploring Kelvin Crosby’s Journey living with Ushers Type II. 4. Holiday Special – Kelvin’s tips for multi-sensory holidays. January 2021 5. Interview with George Stern: Growing up with Retinoblastoma. 6. Interview with Ann Byington: Growing up with RLF/ROP. 7. Interview with Michael Byington: Growing up with low vision, bi-optic driving and long cane use. 8. Interview with Danielle Montour: Growing up with Retinoblastoma. Upcoming Podcast Episodes February 2021 1. How to identify who needs a pediatric belt cane. 2. Introducing the pediatric belt cane for the first time by age. 3. How to stand up wearing the belt cane and other important skills. 4. Blind toddlers taught us everything we know about using pediatric belt canes. March 2021 5. Geri Darko, COMS discusses her experiences with pediatric belt cane with three students. 6. Becky Hommer, discusses her experiences with pediatric belt canes with four students. 7. O&M experiences with pediatric belt canes 8. O&M experiences with pediatric belt canes April 2021 9. Family experiences with pediatric belt canes 10. Family experiences with pediatric belt canes 11. Family experiences with pediatric belt canes 12. Family experiences with pediatric belt canes Safe Mobility Moment You Can See Me, But I Can’t See the Path Ahead I remember it like it was yesterday, riding in our family sedan, my little brother Hugh with his hands over his eyes proclaiming, “you can’t see me” and my parents encouraging me to go along with his hypothesis. Which was, if I can’t see you, you can’t see me. Anyone can forgive a preschooler for misunderstanding how vision works –but as adults it is important to know what it means when a toddler who is blind cannot see. Blind toddlers in a well-lit room are unsafe. Lights only help sighted people navigate around obstacles. Observe this historical photo- the point of view of the sighted photographer suggests these children could safely step away from the piano. Now consider the view of nursery school children who are blind–each one stands upon an island of safe ground. They have no vision to look upon the floor ahead- they cannot see where the furniture is placed, the door stands silent – is it half open or closed? Many would have us believe blind children are equally safe as sighted children because they can memorize where all the furniture lives. Please stop repeating this tale. Ask yourself, if memory kept us safe, then why do we sighted people turn on the lights to move about our homes? These nursery school children are prisoners on their islands of safety because they must risk injury to escape from where they stand. The negative consequences of walking blind are visible; slow pace, bent posture, wide-gait. Blind children without canes cannot quickly run away and they know the risks. That is why they move very slowly, keeping their weight back, their shoulders hunched in anticipation. Moving nonvisually over time leaves lasting impacts. This 1966 physical therapist is attempting to improve a blind child’s posture through stretching his shoulders back. The impact can only be temporary because she is treating the consequence, not the cause of his poor posture- walking without warning. This sighted occupational therapist in 1976 is attempting to improve a blind child’s gait by having him step between the rungs of a ladder. She sees the ladder as a sighted person does, as squares of empty space. Consider his point of view- He can’t see the empty squares, he can’t see. His left toe is catching on the ladder rung and his right toe appears also to be stepping on a ladder rung. Foot shuffling is a consequence of being unable to see the ground ahead, she is attempting to treat the consequence and instead of fixing the cause of his poor gait. Why did it take until 1945 before blind adults got white canes? It took knowledge of what was missing. Adventitiously blinded veterans of WWII knew what it was to see the path ahead. That is why they demanded a better, longer white cane. White canes are essential to safe mobility, they reach out into the path to tell the user whether the path is blocked or clear. That is why we give our canes away for free- to free blind children from their islands of safety! Wearing pediatric belt canes provides reliable safe mobility. The belt cane ensures effective path information everywhere they go. Join Team Safe Mobility Today! Families tell us that they can't believe their eyes when they see how much and how fast their children are able to move because of their belt canes. Before belt canes they had to be carried or pushed in a stroller, now wearing their belt canes they can keep up with the group and they are eager to explore their world. It's easy, convenient and makes a difference all year long! ​ Your monthly gift, whatever the size, will make a big impact. It will provide families with the opportunity to have quick access to this vital safe mobility tool that enables independence. Independent walking is fundamental to learning as walking infants having significantly larger vocabularies than their age‐matched peers who are not yet walking. Joining Team Safe Mobility is easy! Make your gift online. If you are using a credit card, please check "monthly donation" on the PayPal form. DONATE Help Safe Toddles give children who are blind the freedom of independent mobility. ​A gift of $ 20 provides shipping materials. A gift of $ 35 provides a set of white cane rods. A gift of $ 65 provides a full set of 3D printed tips and handles. A gift of $ 80 provides a fully customize belt. A gift of $180 to purchase a belt cane for a child on our wait list. ​Donate by sending a check/money order to Safe Toddles 61 Kretch Circle, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 (updated COVID location). Donate using debit/credit card www.safetoddles.org/donate

1. Lose wait! Yes, we spelled that correctly – we are going to be working extra hard in 2021 to find ways to improve our manufacturing to speed up time between order and delivery! We know boys like 8-year-old Marley, who is blind and fears walking independently, cannot lose another day to unsafe mobility. 2. Meet New People! The more people we can connect the greater numbers of children with visual impairment and blindness we can provide canes for! 3. Learn a new language! Find new ways to communicate about pediatric belt canes. To fulfill our mission, we must be better at helping folks to understand that the single purpose of Safe Toddles is making life kinder for blind children – our mission is to provide toddlers who are blind with a solution for walking safely— a pediatric belt cane for clear path detection. 4. Become more social! Provide more useful content for professionals and families. Offer more workshops and opportunities to learn more about pediatric belt canes. Reach out to providers across the world. Let them know there is a safe mobility solution for toddlers and preschoolers with VI and it works! 5. Start writing a book/blog, podcast! We will work to add useful content to help universities, families and professionals find this safe mobility solution. Every child who is blind or visually impaired that wants to walk and run needs equal access to path information. Please help us keep our New Year's Resolutions! Tell us what you need from us- we are here to help! Sincerely, Team Safe Toddles

It’s here! Today is #GivingTuesday, the international day of giving. A day when you can make a difference for toddlers who are blind and visually impaired unable to avoid harmful collisions and help us respond to these ever-changing times. With your help, we will be able to provide the only effective mobility tool to alleviate the harmful effects unsafe mobility has on blind toddlers learning to walk and support the families most in need of assistance. To give any amount safetoddles.org/donate. Every donation is tax-deductible and helps make a difference I want to help Safe Toddles give blind children the freedom of independent mobility. A gift of $35 provides a set of white cane rods! A gift of $65 provides a full set of 3D printed tips and handles! A gift of $80 provides a fully customize belt A gift of $180 to purchase a belt cane for a child on your waiting list! Please help us provide free belt canes to blind toddlers like Charna When Safe Toddles first met Charna she was lost in her own world and stroller-dependent. She was unable to walk without help. Today, Charna moves about as a little girl should. Her preschool teacher wrote: “In addition to moving about her environment safely and easily, her expressive language and ability to make sense of things she encounters has clearly leaped in many positive directions.” A DONATION TO SAFE TODDLES WILL PROVIDE WEARABLE BELT CANES TO CHILDREN LIKE CHARNA safetoddles.org/donate

As you prepare to open your hearts in support of worthy causes tomorrow, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Safe Toddles. Your gift of any amount will enable us to provide toddlers who are blind and visually impaired with belt cane safe mobility, so they can achieve their potential. During these unprecedented times we can do unprecedented good. safetoddles.org/donate. #GivingTuesday

Please consider donating to our fund raiser on go fund me - we are seeking support to provide children around the world with the pediatric belt cane. Wearing a belt cane is like turning on the lights for sighted toddlers-it is a necessity for safe mobility. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-blind-toddlers-be-safe-to-walk-and-run-freely?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

Your stories about us from people like you will help us make an even bigger impact in our community. GreatNonprofits – the #1 source of nonprofit stories and feedback – is honoring highly regarded nonprofits with their 2020 Top-Rated List. Won’t you help us raise visibility for our work by posting a brief story of your experience with us? All content will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes! Go here to get started! https://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/safe-toddles-inc

Lily was born in 2012 with optic nerve hypoplasia. She received early rod cane instruction, rectangular cane instruction and lots of love and support from her family. Lily's experiences help us learn three lessons: 1) early motor patterns have long-term impacts; 2) toddler and and preschool cane instruction does not effect independent cane use in the school age years and 3) toddlers and preschool learners with mobility visual impairment and blindness need easy to use safe mobility tools to continue to achieve independent gross motor milestones. Watch this video to learn more.

Independent walking (walking at will and without assistance) is fundamental to learning. The onset of independent walking triggers immediate, significant acceleration in language growth; a pattern that is stable and is evidenced across cultures (He, Walle, & Campos, 2015; Oudgenoeg‐Paz et al., 2012). Toddlers’ walking experience significantly predicts both receptive and expressive language growth with walking toddlers having significantly larger vocabularies than their age‐matched peers who are not yet walking (Walle & Campos, 2014; Walle & Warlaumont, 2015). Researchers have hypothesized that the connection of independent walking to increased language is a result of the new experiences that bolster toddlers’ language development (He et al., 2015; Walle & Campos, 2014; Walle & Warlaumont, 2015). Independent walking requires an ever-improving coordination of sensory input with motor output. Overtime, sighted toddlers become increasingly more stable, able to deftly avoid collisions as they seek out objects and others. When toddlers who are blind attempt to transition from adult assisted walking to independent walking they are challenged by their inability to visually avoid collisions. Children with severely impaired sensory input exhibit delays in independent walking even when they possess the physical potential to walk. Delays in independent walking in learners who are visually impaired and blind (VI/B) are well documented. Researchers have found that learners aged five years and younger who are VI/B are less likely to achieve gross motor milestones on time (Bakke, Cavalcante, Oliveira, Sarinho, & Cattuzzo, 2019). Wyver and Livesey concluded that “findings are generally consistent despite the studies being conducted in a wide range of settings, in a variety of countries … there is strong evidence of an adverse impact of visual disability on motor development” (2003, p. 25). The Pediatric Belt Cane (PBC) was developed to aid children with mobility visual impairment and blindness (MVI/B) independent walking by providing them with essential sensory input. MVI/B is defined as unable to visually avoid collisions with obstacles. The PBC is a custom-made wearable white cane invented in 2017 by collaboration of City University of New York medical device engineering and orientation and mobility professors. It provides tactile, haptic, and auditory feedback about the path ahead. Already, the PBC is being worn by almost 1000 children in 45 US states and 15 countries. The PBC is a safe mobility tool for toddlers that consists of a rectangular frame with magnets and belt (Figure 1). Adults easily attach/detach the cane frames to the cane belt. The cane base slides along the floor, this contact provides the child with MVI/B safe mobility sensory feedback about the walking path, the cane frame protects direct bodily collisions with obstacles below the waist. Prior blog posts have provided the results of single-subject studies of children with MVI/B aged two and older. These studies found that children with MVI/B and already ambulatory, improved in gait, posture and frequency of walking once wearing their PBCs (see blog posts by Ambrose-Zaken, 2019, 2020; Kersey, 2020; and McBride, 2020). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of wearing the belt cane by a toddler who was seventeen months with light perception only and not yet walking independently. His walking before and with the PBC was compared to his sighted twin brother in the same environments. Method The researcher employed a single-subject repeated measures design. The twins were videoed walking independently in two locations, at two times, under different mobility conditions. The sighted twin's mobility condition was walking with normal indoor lighting. The twin who was blind with light perception walked under two mobility conditions in well-lit indoor settings; 1) walking without a PBC and 2) walking wearing a PBC. The first videos were taken in May 2019 in the Center for Discovery and Innovation lab on City College of New York (CCNY) campus and the second were taken in July 2019 at a shopping mall. Participants Seventeen-month-old twin boys were observed walking with their mother and father. One brother was identified as having some light perception due to optic nerve hypoplasia and bilateral retina coloboma. His family completed the intake questions. They described his motor skills as "having a hard time walking. His physical therapist indicated that he was afraid of walking". The participant’s family described his walking therapy as “keep encouraging him to walk.” Prior to entry into this study, his exposure to mobility tools consisted of a "push toy that was used at school". His family stated that when he was left to play on his own, he "just sits quietly” and indicated that they were seeking a belt cane "to allow him independence". His sighted twin was typically developing with no disabilities. He was observed already walking independently in May. He had a wide-based gait, and did not yet run. Measurement When the twins were walking without assistance, the number visible steps taken between pauses greater than 30 seconds or time between an adult providing walking assistance were counted as a video segment. Steps were defined as purposefully moving the foot forward or backwards. The length of video segments varied, therefore, the measure of steps per second was used. Step per second was obtained by dividing the total number of steps taken during the video segment by the total number of seconds of the video segment. Treatment The participant who was blind was provided with a custom-fit PBC in May. While at the CCNY lab, the family was instructed in its use. The family was given the PBC usage guideline "wear the PBC most of the day, every day". Family reported that the participant who was blind with light perception was provided regular physical therapy sessions wearing his PBC, and wore his PBC during family outings to the shopping mall. They did not put his PBC on him at home. Although the sighted participant was provided with no specialized equipment or instruction, from May through July, his independent walking practice continued unabated. He had full access to well-lit environments providing him with an abundance of safe mobility. During the May trials and the next three months, the sighted adults switched on the lights every day, all day providing him with constant access to well-lit environments. The sighted twin was allowed to complete all wake-time activities at home and elsewhere with full visual feedback of clear/blocked paths. At the shopping mall in July, the two participants were videoed walking independently under safe mobility conditions; the sighted twin with benefit of well-lit environment, and the twin who was blind with consistent tactile path information resulting from wearing his PBC. Results Figure 2 shows increased steps per second for both boys from May to July. Shortly after donning the PBC in May, the twin who was blind with light perception walked more steps per second wearing the PBC than when not wearing the PBC. The sighted brother walked more steps per second than his twin who was blind. In July, the participant who was blind walked at a rate that was slower compared to his sighted twin brother. However, his steps per second were improved compared to when not wearing and when first wearing his PBC in May. The sighted twin slightly increased his steps per second from May to July. In addition, his pace appeared to be more uniform when compared to his brother's pace. Discussion The twin comparison allows us to understand the extent of the gross motor difference. At seventeen and twenty-months, the sighted twin was on target developmentally. He was walking well without adult assistance, but not yet running. His twin who was blind demonstrated delayed gross motor skills. At seventeen months, prior to donning the PBC he was exhibiting twelve-month gross motor skills, walking only with adult assistance. When wearing his PBC, at seventeen and twenty-months the twin who was blind demonstrated improved gross motor skills. He achieved fifteen-month walking behaviors, walking alone with wide-based gait, but he was still delayed compared to his twin brother. This study suggests that professionals and families should not wait until toddlers with MVI/B are able to walk to wear their PBCs. Toddlers who are MVI/B benefit from wearing developmentally appropriate safe mobility devices to encourage and enhance their independent walking. After minimal exposure to wearing his PBC, the twin who was blind had improved his gross motor development. This suggests that had he been provided with safe mobility also at home, like his sighted brother, his steps per second may have improved even more. Conclusion The difference in access to safe mobility is profound. The sighted toddler needed an adult to turn on the light switch to illuminate the walking path, as he cannot reach the light switch himself. Sighted toddlers are expected to rely on adults to turn the lights on for safe mobility and no one questions whether or not to provide this essential safe mobility support, turning the lights on, to them. Blind children need adults to put on their safe mobility devices, too. For example, toddlers need adults to put them in their car seats, they need adults to hold their hands when crossing the street, and toddlers with MVI/B need adults to put their PBCs on for them. Toddlers with MVI/B need their PBCs on as much as sighted toddlers need the lights on. The only manner in which a blind person can obtain safe mobility is through the addition of consistent tactile path information. Fully-functioning adults who are blind can swing a hand-held cane back and forth with each step to achieve safe mobility. Blind toddlers need safe mobility to thrive, but they are unable to use an adult cane for safe mobility, therefore they need an adult to put on their belt canes for them. We need to provide all toddlers with MVI/B access to path information in a manner that makes sense to them. Pediatric belt canes provide consistent tactile path information about whether the path ahead is clear or blocked. That’s all and that's everything. References Bakke, H. A., Cavalcante, W. A., Oliveira, I. S. de, Sarinho, S. W., & Cattuzzo, M. T. (2019). Assessment of Motor Skills in Children with Visual Impairment: A Systematic and Integrative Review. Clinical Medicine Insights: Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1177/1179556519838287. He, M., Walle, E. A., and Campos, J. J. (2015). A cross-national investigation of the relationship between infant walking and language development. Infancy 20, 283–305. doi: 10.1111/infa.12071 Oudgenoeg-Paz, O., Volman, M. C. J. M., and Leseman, P. P. M. (2012). Attainment of sitting and walking predicts development of productive vocabulary between ages 16 and 28 months. Infant Behav. Dev. 35, 733–736. doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2012.07.010 Walle, E. A., and Campos, J. J. (2014). Infant language development is related to the acquisition of walking. Dev. Psychol. 50, 336–348. doi: 10.1037/a0033238 Walle, E.A., & Warlaumont, A.S. (2015). Infant Locomotion, the Language Environment, and Language Development: A Home Observation Study. CogSci. Wyver, S. R., & Livesey, D. J. (2003). Kinaesthetic sensitivity and motor skills of school- aged children with a congenital visual impairment. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 21(1), 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/026461960302100106