The development of speech and its precursors is compared in seeing and blind children. The author provides a detailed description of two blind children who eventually achieved normal speech. A healthy mother-child interaction throughout infancy is essential for optimal speech and cognitive development in the seeing child; it is even more important for the blind. The highest priority should

therefore be given to providing the mother with the help she needs, notably early treatment of the depression commonly seen in mothers of blind (and other handicapped) children.