Autism Inside-Out: Until he speaks

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:

  1. Communication
  2. Eye contact
  3. Interaction
  4. Social situations
  5. Over stimulating environments
  6. Every area of his school work
  7. Reinforcing appropriate behavior
  8. Daily living skills
  9. Learning new skills (video modeling)
  10. 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!

 

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3 Responses to Autism Inside-Out: Until he speaks

  1. trautrimas says:

    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

  2. Kimberly Linderman says:

    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

  3. Kimberly Linderman says:

    here is a link to another article with a great list.
    http://paper.li/watnutweeting/1317641266#!stories

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