MIDDLEBOROUGH, MA (WCVB/CNN) – A rare genetic disease already took a little girl’s hearing. It could take her eyesight in a few years.
The girl’s father has taken action, inventing a toy to help his daughter adjust to a new world.
A simple concept with a serious goal, the toy – called the “BecDot” – offers an early introduction to braille, which helps the visually impaired read using raised dots.
“We're not trying to teach her how to spell the word ‘goat’ right now or anything – just trying to give her that idea,” said Jake Lacourse, father of Rebecca Lacourse.
Jake Lacourse got the idea for the BecDot after Rebecca was diagnosed as a newborn with the most aggressive form of Usher syndrome, a rare genetic condition that severely affects vision, hearing and balance.
“I can't even explain how devastated I felt,” said Beth Lacourse, Rebecca’s mother.
Born completely deaf, Rebecca could also be blind by the time she’s a teenager. She already has trouble seeing at night, and her field of view is starting to narrow.
“We still feel like we have to get her to see different things and different places…before we run out of time,” Beth Lacourse said.
There’s currently no cure for Usher syndrome, so Rebecca’s parents stay focused on making her life better.
“We see the challenges that she faces every day, you know, in her own environment,” Jake Lacourse said. “And those are all problems that I just see solutions for.”
The BecDot is still in the development stage. Jake Lacourse hopes to keep the cost low so that it’s affordable to families around the world.
“I think that's our way of dealing with it, is keeping busy and trying to help other people along the way,” Beth Lacourse said.
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