Technology Helping Children with Autism

Sharia was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. Because of her autism, she had difficulty communicating other than crying until the iPad was released. Apps such as Proloquo2Go, First Words, and ABC’s and me helped her learn to form short sentences. Proloquo2Go was the first real augmented communication app released for iPhones. Augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, is used to help children who have disorders communicate.  Proloquo2Go founder, David Niemeijer, said that 90 percent of AAC users use an iPad, and more than 25 percent use an iPhone or iPod Touch, and about half have improved in their communication skills. There are now 764 autism apps for the iPad and 142 of them were released just this year. Equipment that was previously used for this therapy cost between 9,000 to 15,000 dollars. The apps for children with autism can cost up to $299.99, but compared to the price of the old equipment, it is cheap. "Steve Jobs did not realize he was giving a voice to the voiceless," Phoebe Tucker, a speech language pathologist, said. Sharia is now able to speak in broken sentences and is more aware of what is going on around her. Siddiqui said, "I often tell my wife I think of it as Sharia before the iPad and Sharia after the iPad. It was that significant." The family is even thinking about taking Sharia to Pakistan to visit their extended family, because she is doing so well and the therapists think she might be able to handle that big of a change in environment.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/14/tech/gaming-gadgets/ipad-autism/index.html?hpt=hp_bn11