Auntie to An Autistic Child

How do social media apps and assistive technology affect communication among those who have been diagnosed with autism? I chose this topic because it is dear to my heart. I have a six-year old nephew that I actually diagnosed with autism at the age of one, way before he was officially diagnosed by a pediatric developmental specialist at the age of three. It has been heartbreaking to watch him frustratingly try to communicate with family and friends. I have cried many nights because what I wanted more than anything was for my nephew to run up to me and give me a big hug and call me Auntie. He started an early intervention program at age 3. I have sat in on quite a few of his many therapy sessions ranging from speech to occupational. I have watched all the little techniques and tricks they use to keep my nephew socially engaged and active. With the advancements in technology I am curious if inventions such as the iPad can actually increase his communication skills. This project will hopefully shed more light on this issue.

[autismadvocateauntie]

This short video clip shows an example of my nephew using his iPad to directly communicate his wants and needs to the outside world which he struggles to do so daily due to the fact that he is living under the shell of autism.  My nephew is 6 years old and is just now starting to be able to verbally express himself.  Something we all take for granted everyday. 

[autismadvocateauntie]

Here is a very recent picture of my nephew during one of his many speech therapy sessions. This laminated picture booklet is a version of the application he uses on his iPad and the assisted technology device that his therapist provides when she comes. Using this booklet he will point to what he wants to say using the pictures.

[autismadvocateauntie]

As I mentioned previously here is a link from Carly Fleishmann’s website that gives a list of programs and devices that Carly personally recommends to use in assisting individuals with autism or other speech-delaying conditions.

[autismadvocateauntie]

My handsome nephew Z!! Just a regular kid to me😍😍 You wouldn’t imagine all the therapy involved paired with all the constant love and support from family that has gotten him to the point where now he knows how to take a picture. He now makes direct eye contact with the camera and knows he is supposed to smile. Things we take for granted everyday.

[autismadvocateauntie]

The accessibility of online stores as a platform for apps has opened a new avenue for parents whose children have autism.

This article explains how important the invention of the I-pad is to revolutionizing the augmentative communication field. It is not only cost-effective but another great thing about the I-pad is that it is mobile. Giving autistic individuals a voice no matter where they are.   Over the last two years there have been so many applications developed that assist in helping those who are living with autism and other speech prohibiting conditions. I have watched my nephew use a few himself. It is amazing to see the look of frustration begin to leave his face as he now can simply use the I-pad to project the words that can not escape his mouth.

[autismadvocateauntie]

This is my nephew Zyon at one of his speech therapy sessions. His speech is gradually improving. He is six years old now and still does not engage in speech a lot on his own. He functions at the toddler level when it comes to speech. He mimics or repeats and uses 2-3 word phrases on his good days. He has learned to call me “Aunt Layne” and I love it soooo much. He still has a long ways to go as far as his communication skills but he has a great support system and we believe that one day soon he will be functioning on his age level.

[autismadvocateauntie]

Don't put your kids at risk: Experts warn of dangers with children using technology

EVEN children under two are benefiting from computers but what dangers do they face? Our writer reports

I have experienced firsthand some of the dangers that technology use can put young children in. I have three children ages 11, 8 and 4. The use of iPads and iPhones have caused many arguments in my home. My children seem to have become addicted to the handheld technology. From the moment my four year old wakes up he is requesting his IPad and oh my! God forbid the iPad die while he is in the process of using it......the tantrums that he displays are horrendous. I have realized that I have to definitely control and limit his technology usage. I limit the time my 8 and 11 year old daughters spend on technology as well. Something that I thought initially could do nothing but help my children educationally and socially has also been a hinderance. I found this article to be very interesting. It shares the “dangers” of letting children use technology. It does have some valid points. It discusses how technology use can be a nuisance in ways that it can affect a child’s sleep pattern and it can cause behavioral issues as children becoming more attached to the technological device they do not like when it is time to part with it and that may result in tantrums.

[autismadvocateauntie]

I simply felt the need to post this because when I came across this video it was circulating on my timeline on Facebook. The title alone interested me because I hope that one day my nephew will be attending prom and I was curious to see what the teenagers reaction was going to be.  As I watched how excited he was...I actually began to cry. It is so touching to my heart that the young lady knew how special he was and that he deserved to attend prom as well. I forwarded this to my sister, my nephews mom and we both shared a few tears and a good laugh.

[autismadvocateauntie]

This is how the I-pad is used by individuals with autism. This app allows the autistic child to communicate what he can not express verbally himself. My nephew uses a similar program on his I-pad he also has a picture booklet. He will point to the words he wants to use constructing sentences one flashcard at a time.  This application alone has been very instrumental in getting my nephew to communicate effectively and clearly what he is thinking. It has let him directly express his wants and needs, now with less temper tantrums and shutting down moments that he was experiencing before.

[autismadvocateauntie]

This video shows just how technology can assist individuals with autism and other speech delays to communicate with the world. Many methods and therapists were used and Carly Fleishmann  still could not speak. She was deemed autistic and moderately retarded. At the age of 11 she used a computer for the very first time!!! It was a SUCCESS!!!! She began to communicate through the computer and she typed using the keyboard her wants and needs. She is now an adult and actually writes books and communicates regularly with her growing fan club through her daily blog that I now follow, I must say.  It is amazing to see how much she has accomplished especially if you think about where she started from. She has her own website entitled “Carlys Voice- Changing the World of Autism”. Her website even has one tab you can click on that provides a list of devices and programs that Carly herself an individual living with autism recommends.....guess what is number one on her list....the I-pad!!!! I will post the list later if I remember:)

[microsoft]

“For the first time, I felt like I was in a place where I understood other people, and they understood me.” Inspired by Kyle Schwaneke, a promising young Xbox developer, who also has autism.

[wabancapitalcampaign]

http://www.myasdf.org/site/media-center/articles/why-the-ipad-is-such-a-helpful-learning-tool-for-children-with-autism/

Utilizing technology such as iPads as a learning tool.

[autismadvocateauntie]

This article was great and pertained exactly to how technology is effective in the treatment of autism particularly. First of all the I-pad is the perfect size so that it becomes a device that can be mobile. Which is great for individuals with autism they now have the ability to communicate wherever they may go instead of just being to communicate at home or in a medical providers office building.  The I-pad is unique in that it is customized with so many different applications being invented you can fine tune the I-pad with apps that work specifically on what you are trying to get assistance with and to the liking of specific individuals. Everything doesn’t work for everyone. It is also very cost-effective when compared to other speech-aid devices.

[reachingmilestones-blog1-blog]

Helping your child with autism communicate in positive ways, especially if they are nonverbal. You don’t want to find out they are hungry because they bit another child.

[autismadvocateauntie]

What I’ve learned about children with autism while watching my nephew is to pay very close attention to their cues that they WILL give. You just have to watch them.  When my nephew and my son play together at first for me honestly it was very frustrating and at times...I must admit I felt bad for my son, who is not autistic. Example: My son would play with blocks, he would build up a tower and would  be so proud of it, then my nephew would immediately knock it down. Causing my son to cry and he would then ask me for help, he wanted me to stop my nephew from knocking down his tower. My nephew did not quite understand so I did not want to punish him but at the same time I felt like I was not coming to my own sons’ rescue.  It happened a few more times, because most children that live with autism are very repetitive, but I noticed something while observing. My nephew was not being mean, he wanted to join my son. He wanted desperately to interact and play in unison with his cousin but he could not voice it.  So I turned it into a game first I would build the tower and let my son knock it down, then I instructed my nephew to build the tower and I knocked kit down, we kept going around like that, and both boys were giggling and had the biggest smiles on their faces. They were playing together. That’s what I call a win for the #AutismAuntie!!

[queerzephyr]

This is my brother’s new blog that he’s using to work on his communication skills. If there’s any autistic teens who are looking for a penpal, he’d love to start up an email correspondence. He is sixteen years old, interested in math and science (especially physics) and loves Disney movies. Leave a comment if you’re interested. 

[autisticadvocacy]

Image is an Alternative and Augmentative communication device showing a screen with a combination of images and words to choose from. The message on the screen reads “I have something to tell you.” The caption for the image says “Autistic people are speaking. Why aren’t you listening?”

[autismadvocateauntie]

This is exactly how one of the communication devices that are used in aiding autism individuals communicate looks. With the advent of the i-pad and tablets that are similar in comparison to it, I think that technology is really making an impact in speech therapy. It will be interesting to see what will happen in the next couple of years within this field.

[autisticarchive-deactivated2019]

New Autistic Blogs

This list was made 27/3/2015 and is a list of some of the new blogs for and by autistic/neurodivergent people that have been made within the last couple months. I’ve chosen to introduce the blogs by coping a part of their description or about page. Go check them out, send a submission, reblog some of their content, give them a follow and help me make sure that they stay around!

allisticfactbook “Inspired by blogs like animal-factbook, this blog consists of facts about allistics! (the things on this blog are jokes, not serious facts.)“

autisticlifehack “A place for autistic people to share the ways that they make their lives easier! Anything from different food choices to techniques on handling social situations.“

an-autistic-in-paris “I’m here to let you know how to travel comfortably as an autistic. I give tips, tricks, and warnings about any aspect of travel that could trigger a meltdown. You’ll also find ramblings about everyday life with autism.The askbox is always open!“ 

autisticcharacteroftheday “A comprehensive list of all the canon autistic characters in the world.“ 

autisticpuppy “Hello! I’m Eli Esther Isak and I’m an Autistic 16 year old that lives in the DFW area and blogs about Autistic rights. I am a survivor of psychiatric abuse and commonly speak about toxicity in the psychiatric and medical system. If you know me from my main tumblr or my twitter, this is my more formal, less personal blog devoted solely to autism. I prefer they/them pronouns!“

autisticstories “A place for autistic people to share their stories!“

dysphoric-dystopia  “This blog is a safe haven for: Those suffering from Anxiety, Gender Dysphoria, Autism Spectrum Disorders((Including Asperger’s Syndrome)), people in either the LGBTQA+ or who fall under the Transgender Umbrella, and anyone who is scared or lonely and needs help. Feel free to message me, my askbox is always open. -THIS BLOG SUPPORTS SELF DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORERS- Blake/19/Gray-Asexual Panromantic Genderfluid/Male pronouns/Aspie”

edgyspirita “An Aspie on Edge and on a Pilgrimage in the Christian Faith“

typeasd No blog description

[autismadvocateauntie]

This is just a list of some authentic blogs of people that are living their lives with autism. It also list the blogs of immediate family members like myself who may blog about their experiences living with a family member that has autism. I like to search for other bloggers and every once in a while I find a blogger that I feel I make a personal connection with. Its soothing to know that someone out there feels the same way you do and may be going through similar experiences. Its also relieving to see that older individuals with autism are doing so well in their lives, being successful contributors to society. It gives hope.

[beautifulnerdmommy]

My friend is diagnosed with autism. Today I was baffled by his behavior. After taking a moment to contemplate human nature and my own tendencies it all...

Everyone no matter what their condition, disorder, or disease wants to be accepted and to be treated like part of the community. I too sometimes find myself asking questions about things I am already knowledgeable in just to stimulate conversation among my peers and I have never been diagnosed with autism.