I could not wait to hear my son’s sweet voice again. After he regressed into autism, I prayed every day to hear him speak as he had before. He had 25 words at 20 months of age, regressed and did not speak again until he was five years old.
With hundreds of hours spent patiently working with him-along with a whole team of people-it still took four years for his speech to return. If only we would have had today’s technology available then, I feel he would now be far more advanced and it would have been so much easier for him to learn.
Grade level! He is working at his grade level right along with his peers because of one piece of technology: the iPad. It has been an absolute “magic bullet” for my son’s communication, social interaction, fine motor skills and learning appropriate play skills. Who would have thought something as simple as a touch screen could advance my son more in one year than he had progressed in the previous four years?
Hindsight is 20/20. I truly have tried to forget those non-verbal days; the tantrums and the tears my son and our family had to endure due to his inability to communicate his wants and needs to us was incredibly challenging to say the least.
We were truly blessed to be able to budget purchasing the iPad for him but many in the autism community simply cannot afford this life changing gift. We’ve all seen the giveaway offers on the social media sites, many are gimmicks and simply too difficult to maneuver. I would love it if every child affected by autism could benefit from this electronic miracle and I have found an amazing resource to share with all of you!
I would like to introduce you to an amazing company: The Puzzling Piece. Owner/founder Melissa Winter has made it her mission to create awareness and is placing iPads in the hands of people touched by autism as well as making donations to autism based-charities. Why? Because she has a child affected by autism and understands the benefits of the iPad for our kids and wanted to make a difference-it’s that simple.
She is offering an iPad Challenge. If you, for whatever reason, would like to have an iPad for your child she will help you receive one with a very unique fundraising opportunity. Several of my friends have done the iPad Challenge. Melissa has already given away over 100 iPads since starting this fundraising idea. Please check out her website and her beautiful products and learn how you can get an iPad for your child. www.thepuzzlingpiece.com
The iPad has given my son a new voice. It has helped him in all areas including:
- Communication
- Eye contact
- Interaction
- Social situations
- Over stimulating environments
- Every area of his school work
- Reinforcing appropriate behavior
- Daily living skills
- Learning new skills (video modeling)
- Staying engaged
My son met all of his IEP goals after we started implementing the iPad and is working at his grade level in all areas except math and reading comprehension. We are adding those to the “to do” list in this year’s IEP. This is well over and above what I ever expected it could be in such a short time.
I hope this post was helpful to you. Feel free to post any questions or comments and please do contact Melissa if you want information on the iPad Challenge.
Until next week, happy trails to you and yours!
From Age of Autism
We just received an Ipad for my two and a half year old son. Lots of family members got together to help pay for it — honestly though I am overwhelmed. There are so many apps. Some i dont even understand how to use. We have a few games that he loves and are at the same time educational. I am trying to find a great speech one — I have tried a few now. What apps/programs do you find best for helping a child with autism ?
THanks so much
I have a list of the apps I have added to my son’s iPad with an explanation
of what each app does. I hope it helps. It is pretty long some were free just check itunes.
iPad apps
Page 1
123 BalloonsLE- Counting, Spelling and adding- the adding is popping balloons-Kaden really likes this and it helps with addition skills.
Abc Blocks- spelling with blocks-great app for beginners
ABC Magic 2- great app for beginning spellers
ABC Tracer-tracing all the letters with his finger- will help with fine motor and letter formation
Actions-Pictures and descriptions of actions
ADL-small talk for daily activities- can help with sentence formation and responses
Alphabet Tracing- shows how to trace the letters correctly with your finger using a train
Alphaboard-text to speech app
Balloon Rally- just for fun he loves hot air balloons
Balloons- just for fun
Balloon Deluxe-just for fun
Bookster-fun book app
Caboose-making patterns
Chalkboard-fun writing app
Class-picking items, example: find the one that is clothing
Clean up-slide the item to the correct area to clean up
Clever Tales-books
Combined-picking items, example: where is the one you play music on
Page 2
Conversation-small talk-conversation phrases
Cool Spell-shows an item, all of the letters are available to spell that item
Cubric Free-Make a sentence, using pictures choose tap the picture that goes with the word to make the sentence
Cute Math-given a task, drag the correct amount into the baskets
Do it to-story book
Doc Q- writing app
Doodle buddy-scribble pad app
Doodle Find-like an eye spy app, find the items
Drawing Pad-has stamps and colors drawing pad
Dreams-tells a story and you have to drag pictures to correct place in picture
Easy Speak-text to speech app
Emotions-displays pictures to go with the emotions
Expressionist-photos of emotions
Faces iMake-fun doodle app
Feature-choosing items-example-show me the one that is cold
Feelings-interactive book
Fireworks-just for fun fireworks
Function-example-show me the one that takes pictures
Page 3
Going Places-model me kids, video modeling
GoodieWords-definitions-interactive example-what is healthy
HaloTalk-text with picture example-above/below with photos
HC-kids-definitions-always do what a police officer tells you-hidden curriculum
HH-choosing-example-which would you use to wash your hands
Hot Air?.lloons-just for fun
HotAirBallon-just for fun
How are you?-the little feelings book-shows emotions touch and they cry, cough, yawn etc
iBooks-story books
iFish Pond-just for fun
iLanguage-make a sentence about the picture-record it
iLiveG?utumn-nouns and verbs-example-pick the job of the word highlighted (grammar)
iLiveG?winter-same as above-grammar
imean-typing app
Question Builder-answering the question asked-where did the kids get their flippers-pick the correct choice
iRafting-just for fun
Iron Horse-just for fun
iSentence-make a sentence about the picture from the choices
iWW Lite-tracing letters correctly great app
Page 4
Jessica-just for fun
Kid Klok-telling time app
Kindle-book app
Kriskl?apades-book app
Math Magic-math skills app
MeeGenius-book app
Munch?kVol2-book app
Munsch6Pack-book app
My Sunny Day-interacive book on daily life skills schedule
Numbe?se HD-interactive math game
Ocean Blue-just for fun
Owl Ato?Lite-takes a bit to load-choose the word to match the picture
Peepers-book on opposites
Picaa-not sure need to play around with this one
Places-just for fun
Pocket Drums-just for fun
Pocketphonic-letter sounds and writing word game
Receptive-choosing items-example-touch the microscope
Page 5
River-just for fun
Science-pictures and science words
Sight Words-using finger to trace words
Sight Words-he has outgrown this
Sight?Speller-drag the letter to spell the word
Smarty School-word search crossword
Social skills-book modeling for social skills
Speak it-text to speech
Spell Blocks-drag the blocks to spell the words, he has pretty much mastered this, good sight word practice
Spelling Bee- spelling app like a spelling bee
SpellingMagic-spelling game
Starfall ABCs-he has outgrown this
Stories2Learn-book about social skills
Story Builder-make a story about the picture record it
Streams-just for fun
Talking Ben-just for fun
Talking Hippo-just for fun
Talking Tom-just for fun
Talking Tom 2-just for fun
TaptoTalk=pictures with daily things to do
Page 6
The Grouchies-book app
TunerTool-for my husband guitar
Virtuoso-piano playing app
Water Scape-just for fun
WaterBombs-game fine motor
WDMB-which does not belong picking photos
WGT=which go together picking photos
WHQuestions-choose from pictures to get the correct answers for WH questions
Wind&Sun-book app
Word Magic-choose the missing letter
Wordios-great spelling app
WR-what rhymes with choosing picture, he loves this game
XmasTale-book app
Zanny-book app
Zoo-pictures of animals
Touch & Say-emotions with pictures
Counting Board-counting app
3rd Vocab-3rd grade vocabulary words with definitions
Spelling Test-the app I use for his spelling words
Page 7
Epic Math HD-takes a bit to load-math and counting app interactive and fun
MathEasy HD-math app
NumbFrog-numberline-using number lines for math, looks really good
Toddler Math-uses balloons and gives choices looks really good
Minerals-app I got him for science about minerals and rocks descriptions
Bills&Coins-teaches about money, counting etc.
Tell Ti..Game-telling time app
here is a link to another article with a great list.
http://paper.li/watnutweeting/1317641266#!stories