Was Helen Keller born BOTH Blind & Deaf?

No she was not born that way......Helen Keller was born with the ability to see and hear.

At 19 months old, she contracted an illness described by doctors as "an acute congestion of the stomach and the brain" which might have been scarlet fever or meningitis.The illness left her both deaf and blind.

http://www.biography.com/people/helen-keller-93619...

No, she had normal hearing and sight until she was 19 months old, then had a high fever (it could have been scarlet fever, meningitis, or rheumatic fever) and left her blind and deaf. She would have understood quite a few words, and probably had some words(No, water, more, etc.) but lost them as she could no longer hear them.

When Anne Sullivan came, she'd been over 5 years with no sight, and no sounds. She would have forgotten almost everything she'd learned the first year and a half of her life. She was basically mute, save for yelling and screaming. (Imagine a 2 year old in the thralls of a temper tantrum) She used what worked, as any child would.

She was fortunate to get Anne as a Teacher, for most would not have had the patience to take her on. Braille was in it's infancy, but Anne used what was available. She was able to get through to a child that had basically forgotten 95% of what she'd know before.

Both Helen and Anne were remarkable. Though Blind and Deaf, Helen was able to go to college, and graduate *** laude, no small feat, And Anne was able to guide Helen through all the trials of a hearing and seeing world, though Anne herself was probably legally blind for most of her life. I commend them both on their courage and determination.

She was actually born with all 5 senses but became ill as an infant and a fever left her deaf and blind.

She was born with typical vision and hearing. She had "brain fever" at age 19 months. Brain fever is now diagnosed as scarlet fever or meninghitis - there is no way to know exactly which she had. Both often cause permanent partial or full deafness and /or blindness.

She was born normal, but had dome kind of high fever at age 18 or 19 months. It left her both deaf and blind. It was amazing that she accomplished speaking when she could not hear sounds. Back then, there was no braille, and her teacher spelled the words into her hands.

She was a normal baby when she was born, at about 17 months old she contracted a fever and when she was well again it was found that she had gone blind and was deaf.

I think the best, most accurate info you can find on the net is her biography written on the website that is dedicated to the historic relevance of her birthplace

http://www.helenkellerbirthplace.org/helenkellerbi...

no