The parents of a visually impaired child are given a physical diagnosis of their child's condition but most construct their own social diagnosis. One important way they learn how their child is seen by others is through chance encounters with strangers in public places. Responses of strangers to their children were discussed by mothers of visually impaired infants in a discussion group that met for two and a half years. The sequence and content of three stages of interaction between strangers and visually impaired infants and their mothers are described along with a discussion of the effects of these encounters on mothers.
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