It’s all ‘Appening- on your iPhone

by Seana Smith on Sunday, March 14th, 2010

My son Tom was diagnosed with ASD ten years ago…. Has much changed since then?  Are treatments any better?  Are diagnoses that much earlier? I had expected enormous leaps over ten years but progress in most areas remains slow.

Hmmmm….. still, there have been some significant changes, and most thrilling for the techie types are the many ways new technology can help us teach our kids.   Many of our children with ASD have splendid visual skills and we can help them use this strength to develop in other areas.

Back in the day, when we started early intervention at our house, we didn’t even have a laminator.  I used to snip pictures out of magazines and glue them to little white  postcards to make all the (hundreds! ) of flash cards needed.   Those were the days… no they weren’t!

These days… crivens… it’s fantastic how technology has improved, and the iPhone is fast becoming on of the most useful learning tools.

I knew from friends doing early intervention that lots of iPhone Apps are proving very useful but hadn’t thought there were Apps for older childrenMy kids fiddled with my iPone enough.  Tom’s favourite game is one called “Shut up!” that yells at you whenever you say anything.  Not that educational.   My favourite one was about wine, more educational but can lead one astray.

Anyway recently I fired up iTunes, went to the Apps section and typed in “autism”… and a zillion came up… well, not quite, but 110 did.  That’s a lot, and there would be many other words to search as well.

What I love is that loads of Apps are free, and there are usually free test Apps for the ones that do charge.   Here’s what I’ve downloaded so far:

3D Brain – I love it, a rotating coloured brain, you can look at the various parts and learn heaps of stuff.  Excellent for when reading books about the neurology of autism.  (I must get out more.)

Model Me Going Places – social stories on restaurants, hairdressers, shopping and more.  Stills pictures, text and words.  I would switch off the sound and talk through it myself.

First Words Sampler – this is a reading and spelling game for young children – lovely and visual.

The Hidden Curriculum On the Go – for older adolescents and adults.  This is text only and a fair bit ahead of my 13 year old but it will be very handy.  One example:  ”Only borrow money from friends and only do so when absolutely necessary.  Then pay back your friend as soon as possible.”  This is totally relevent to us this week- wish it came with visuals as well as text.

Have you used any Apps?  Could you let us know.  I am planning to write up an information sheet on them to put as a free download on our website.  All advice welcome.

In the meantime, yesterday Tom managed to drop my iPhone and crack the front glass then he almost immediately dropped his own phone down the toilet.  So, my most important advice about the use of these magical mobile devices?  Make sure they are insured.