• Question: when somebody loses one sense does it affect the four others?

    Asked by aimeellyn to Damien, Suzi, Tim on 23 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      Hi @aimeellyn
      Yes, it definitely does.
      People who become blind or deaf during their life say that their other senses become more finely tuned, in order to help them cope with their loss.

      I saw a TV show where a man who lost his sight had developed his hearing so well that he was able to navigate on his bike by clicking, in the way that bats and dolphins use sound waves to navigate. Pretty amazing!

      Hope this answers your question.

Comments

  • Photo: aimeellyn

    aimeellyn commented on :

    Thanks for the answer! I think I saw that program too:) my friend doesn’t have a sense of smell, would this affect her other senses?

    • Photo: Suzi

      Suzi commented on :

      Hi @aimeellyn Oh I’m not sure about a lack of a sense of smell. I know a couple of people who have this, and apart from having slightly strange eating habits I’m not sure it affects them. Maybe back when we used to have to forage for things it would have made a difference, but these days our sense of smell is not too important for everyday life (compared to sight and hearing for example) so maybe losing it has less of an effect. I’m not sure though!