In Ithaca, New York there is a 7-year-old autistic boy who only spoke to his parents (e.g. I want drink.) Once he was introduced to a horse and an i pad in a special program called Strides. Luke, in an eight-week program using his i pad was able to have his first two-way conversation. He was able to communicate feelings, and express to his friends about how he lost his first tooth. In just this eight-week program Luke is on a whole different playing field when it comes to communication with the help of a tablet.
Autism has a variety of treatments and therapies. Some have proven affective others have no affect. Applications and tablets are a new way of therapy for autistic children. The use of applications and tablets can improve an autistic child's social skills, communication, and academics settings.
Tablets and special applications have proven to improve social skills in autistic children. “Sosh” is a new application made for older children with Asperger's Syndrome. A higher functioning form of autism. This app is designed to improve social interaction with their peers. The app provides a variety of activities such as a slang dictionary, exercises in relaxation and conversational skills, and a voice meter that a child can use to determine how loud he is talking. One of the may interactive features in this application is the "What Did That Mean?" This program lets a student enter a slang phrase he could not comprehend—"all up in my grill"—and learn he was being advised to back away as opposed to actually being in a grill. The main menu of this app has five R's relate, recognize, regulate, reason, relax. In these five R's the child can find activities made to help develop conversational skills such as how to maintain eye co...
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..., and has different needs and ways of understanding , as well as ways of retaining information. The tablet is an amazing tool that allows a wide variety of applications and activities. The use of applications and tablets can improve an autistic child's social skills, communication, and academics settings. With over 32 largely known foundations such as the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism established by NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, National Foundation for Autism Research, and Generation Rescue established by Jenny McCarthy. There is an abundance of funding for people with autism spectrum disorders. The cost of autism over the lifespan is 3.2 million dollars per person. Only 56% of students with autism finish high school. So please donate to these foundations, and encourage the research for these individuals to live the most average life that they possibly can.
The essay, “To Siri, with Love: How One Boy with Autism Became BFF with Apple’s Siri” by Judith Newman, drew me into the story and I was pulled into this new world where I could imagine it all happening. The author included dialogues and visuals, I feel like she became her son or a 13-year-old teenager. She included short parts in her essay which would attract kids or even 13-year-old teenagers. The author wanted to reflect her son’s connection with Siri. The author’s son, Gus, gets all his answers and unlimited communication through Siri. The author seems fascinated with the connection between Gus and Siri, even though Gus knows Siri isn't human he still gives Siri a lot of importance just like one would give their friend.
Wendy Keay-Bright and Imogen Howarth From the issue entitled "Special Issue on Autism and Technology" Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Volume 16, Number 2 (2012), 129-141, DOI: 10.1007/s00779-011-0381-5
In this book you will have a chance to learn what might be going on in the mind of a child with autism. When you are dealing with a child who has autism, you can become extremely frustrated and wonder if they understand anything you say. Actually, This book has answered many questions for me by giving answers from the mind of this autistic boy. He shows you that his mind is thinking and he does understand what you are saying. Author manag...
Furthermore, this documentary changed several ideas in my mind about these people who cannot communicate and speak. Before I see this video, I did not think that they can communicate as normal people. I thought that they can only speak and answer easy questions. However, this documentary showed me that these individuals with AAC devices can live, work, and communicate normally. They have the chance to achieve many goals in their lives better than normal individuals. The AAC systems do not just allow them to speak and meet their basic needs. However, these AAC systems affect their educations, financial, and professions. I also realized that they have an important role in their societies as normal people. Furthermore, I believe that the professionals such as Bruce Baker, Katya Hill and Barry Romich who contributed in making the AAC systems are genius. They created something for individuals who have communication disabilities to allow them to function as normal people. They gave them the way to communicate and live the normal
Every year doctors diagnose thousands of adults and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Due to the growing awareness of autism and recent developments in technology, scientists and doctors can now discover and observe the effects of autism on society, and people. Starting with its discovery, researchers have been able to diagnose people more effectively. Doctors are beginning to discover what causes this disorder, and are currently trying to find ways to prevent and treat it. Many places have opened their doors to people with this disorder, creating autistic friendly environments where people are patient and understanding. Schools have also become accommodating to autistic children and adults. Autism also puts great strain on family and home lives.
Children with autism have multiple characteristic impairments in their social interaction skills. This results from the lack of “Theory of Mind” in autistic individuals. Autistic children have difficulty interpreting what another person may be thinking or feeling. Social impairments may cause the child to act inappropriately in social interactions and prevent the children from truly taking part in interactions. The children have difficulty recognizing social cues and responding to cues. Autistic children have a hard time forming relationships as a result of these impairments. Social stories, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Pivotal Response Training are three therapy techniques that help children with autism learn appropriate social behavior. Social stories allow the children to practice the situation in a lower stress environment. Applied Behavior Analysis utilizes positive reinforce to teach desired skills. Pivotal Response Training allows the child to learn social skills while in a natural play environment. Learning social skills through these techniques enable the children to have more meaningful relationships and engage more in their community.
For many years, there has been a controversy on whether facilitated communication (FC) users are actually the authors of their own thoughts or not. This has also raised issues of independence and intelligence of the FC user. Many people question the autistic person’s competence with FC and tend to assume they are ‘mentally retarded’. However, Sue Rubin (2001) who communicates through typing that has become independent with many years of physical support and Libby Grace (2015) who is an academic who often gives lectures and presentations verbally, but she also thinks about communication through writing prove to people whose assumptions of ‘mental retardation’ are wrong and with practice they can become independent FC users.
Autism is a developmental disorder that appears within the first three years of a child’s life. It affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. Autism affects 1 out of 68 children. It is also the fastest growing disability in the United States. There are multiple types of Autism, some children are considered high functioning, and some are low functioning. “High functioning” is when a child with autism can function in life, and completes jobs, and chores with little to no help. “Low functioning” is when a child with autism cannot complete simple daily tasks without help, and (or) constant supervision.
Autism is a form of neurodevelopment disorder in the autism spectrum disorders. It is characterized by impaired development in social interactions and communication, both verbal and non-verbal. There is an observed lack of spontaneous acts of communication; both receptive and expressed, as well as speech impairments. A person diagnosed with Autism will also show a limited range of activities and interests, as well as forming and maintain peer relationships. The individuals will display limited interests, which are often very focused and repetitive. He or she is likely to be very routine oriented and may show behavioral symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggressiveness, and self-injurious behaviors.
Systems of AAC include both high-tech and low-tech methods. High-tech methods consist of electronic devices such as the Apple iPad or iPod. Low-tech methods consist of non-electronic systems such as a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) or manual signing. Different types of AAC systems give educators the option to choose the best method of AAC for each individual child. When choosing the best method of AAC, educators must consider the severity of autism, the individual characteristics, and capabilities of each child. The type of AAC method or device educators select for the child may depend on the school system and the cost of the device. Multiple research studies have investigated allowing children with autism to choose an AAC system or device (Son, Sigafoos, O’Reilly, & Lancioni, 2006; Van der Meer et al., 2012; Van der Meer et al., 2013). Son et al., (2006) Van der Meer et al., (2012) and Van der Meer et al., (2013) examined if allowing the child with autism to choose an AAC system had a positive outcome on communication. Selecting an AAC system for a child with autism takes time and consideration of each individual child’s abilities.
Nowadays, the most common treatments for Autism is behavioral therapy. ABA therapy is a very common technique used. (Simpson) The children with Autism are taught general social skills. One way this is taught is through modeling social behaviors to them and teaching them to imitate it.
Assistive technology is often used by individuals with a learning disability. A learning disability “describes a neurobiological disorder in which a person’s brain works or is structured differently” (Lee1). A person’s abilities can be severely affected from a learning disability. They may listen differently, talk differently, write, spell, organize, and work with school subjects in a different way. Learning disabilities also affect people’s individual and personal lives to a great extent. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in seven children has a learning disability. The disability manifests itself when the child shows difficulty in reading, writing, spelling, and conversing with others. The added time they need to process information may make them seem less intelligent then others around them, but this is not the case. Individuals with learning disabilities are just as smart as anyone else; they just need to learn in a different way. The earlier a learning disability is noticed and detected, the earlier a child may be able to learn how to deal with or compensate for it (Lee 1). This is where assistive technology comes into play.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that effects the brains development. It is characterized by affecting communication, cognition and social interaction. The spectrum of the disorders ranges from a mild condition called Asperger’s syndrome to a more severe form, which severely impairer’s development. The Office of Communications and Public Liaison states that the disorder affects one and eighty-eight children, however ASD effects boys more frequently than girls (Office of Communications and Public Liaison, 2013). ASD emerges in all age, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. The significant varied character and severity of the disorder is why ASD is considered a spectrum that poses a broad range of symptoms.
Despite having years of scientific research on Autism and its related condition Asperger’s Syndrome; forms of Autism Spectrum Disorders still remain somewhat of a mystery disorder. There are many treatments available for individuals suffering from these disorders however; a cure is yet to be found. Early differences in social behavior can be the basis for diagnosis of autism as early as 12 months of age (Berkell 10). Early intensive treatment can prove beneficial and produce a dramatic difference in the lives of children that are typically diagnosed after the age of two. If children are diagnosed early enough it will have a great effect on their lives, their families and society by expanding their involvement in the community, efforts in education and decreasing problematic behaviors.
Most family’s tend to run into financial issues while raising a child who is on the autism spectrum, these financial expenses come from