When dealing with a visually handicapped child, the pediatrician's responsibility is consid erable. He or she plays a key role in establishing the pathologic diagnosis and in coordinating the subsequent medical therapy and genetic counseling if required. These responsibilities also include providing emotional support to the family, and advice regarding the various medical, developmental, and educational decisions that the family will face in the future. Basic knowledge regarding the effects of visual deprivation on the development of the child, and the use of appropriate compensatory stimuli utilizing the other sensory modalities, will be of great value as the pediatrician accompanies the patient through the trials that await him or her and the family.
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