Mariah is an energetic, funny and loveable four year old. She is wonderfully unique, and adored by all that meet her. Recognisable by her beautiful snow white hair and fair complexion, Mariah lives with Albinism. A determined young girl, she doesn’t let it get in the way of exploring the world. Each day she shows life can be enriched with fun and laughter.
Photo of cheeky Mariah who won’t let anything stop her!
Mariah’s biggest challenge at the moment is the vision impairment associated with her Albinism. Until now, Mariah’s parents helped guide and support her. Now she is older, they are keen to encourage her independence and are teaching their young daughter strategies to help herself. They explain, “Mariah has no depth perception, and can’t see curbs, steps, slopes, ditches, bumps, and edges. This means we have to be her eyes for her, and advise her of these tripping/falling hazards. We are teaching Mariah strategies to help her become more independent, for example looking for colour contrasts in the environment. Mariah will often bend down to feel the ground with her hands, to ascertain whether there is a change in depth.” Soon the family will to introduce Mariah to the use of a cane, which they hope will enable her to become even more independent.
Living in Western Australia’s sunny climate presents Mariah with another challenge come summer. Sunburn is a big concern for those with Albinism.
Summer can be a very difficult time, because Mariah’s outdoor play is limited to the mornings and evenings, when the UV levels are low. If she is exposed to any sun, we must always ensure she is completely covered in clothing and sunscreen, top to tail.
Often a bright, sunny day will cause Mariah to struggle with glare. While the winter days are cold and wet, Mariah’s family admit they are her favourite times for outdoor play. It is during this season that they spend much more time outside playing and having fun.
While Mariah has a vision impairment, she has readily adapted to relying on her other senses. This makes navigating the world that bit easier. She often uses her hearing to identify voices and can ‘smell Daddy’ when he comes home by the scent of his cologne.
At Kindy, the teachers and kids are a welcome and wonderful support for Mariah. They love to help her out if she needs. As her family found, “Her teachers and friends are very good at verbalising “Hello Mariah, it is Mrs Hunt here”, or “Mariah, your friend Hannah is playing in the home corner” to allow her to find her friends. Mariah’s friends love to grab her hand and help her find toys and tell her how certain things feel.”
VisAbility has been a great support for Mariah and her family. They have been able to get in touch with other families and children living in a similar situation. This gives Mariah the opportunity to play with other children who are just like her.
Mariah’s parents look forward to seeing their young daughter develop and grow in the future. They are warmed and encouraged by the wonderful role models who are out and about living with Albinism. These role models have proved it’s possible to achieve their dreams. To them, this is a fantastic reminder that Albinism won’t hold back Mariah’s blossoming potential.