Autism can affect anyone, any family, at any time. Now children are being diagnosed somewhere on the autism spectrum, or ASD, at an alarming rate. It is unclear if this increase in numbers is due to increased awareness of autistic symptoms or perhaps some other environmental factor. The most common symptoms of autism include difficulty communicating, social interaction, sensitivity to sensory stimulation, and behavior problems. Many children have some or all of these symptoms along the autism spectrum, and it is said that no two children may be exactly alike.
Basic communication can be one of the hardest symptoms parents of children with autism face every day. Many children with autism are non-verbal, and parents have recently been able to take advantage of mobile applications that can help autistic children communicate their basic needs and wants. This has been a wonderful tool for parents to see what their children have to “say” when they did not have easy ways to verbalize before.
Whether parents use iPhone, iPad, or Android phones and tablets, there are many autism apps to meet the growing need. Some are great! Some are not so good. So I wanted to provide a short list of autism apps on the market that have been gaining popularity.
1. Autism myVoice Communicator, Android, $ 2.99. Available on the Google Play Store and Amazon. Autism myVoice Communicator is an application designed to help non-verbal children (even young children) and adults with communication. Unlike many other communication applications of this type, Autism myVoice Communicator can be used IMMEDIATELY after installation to communicate basic needs, wants and / or emotions. This AAC application has been preloaded with images to touch (the application will immediately speak or say what has been touched or touched) from food and drinks (pancakes, lasagna, bananas, milk, apple juice) to different places (home, park) and toys or emotions (for example, “I am happy!”).
2. Brainy Skills WH game, iPad, $ 1.99. This app is a reading comprehension game to help children and young adults learn to apply who, what, where, when, why, and how. Its format is an exciting new way to help readers of all ages develop and improve reading comprehension skills.
3. Alpha Writer, iPad, $ 4.99. This app is based on the famous Montessori mobile alphabet. Learn to compose and read words, work with phonetics and phonograms, and also practice writing stories, in this dynamic and multifaceted app.
No matter the platform, more and more applications are emerging to help parents with their child with ASD. Hope you find the one that suits your child.