itouch or iphone for ASD kids

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My sons' school has been strongly recommending itouch's or iphones to the ASD kids. LFA kids can use all sorts of verbal programs on there, then there are all sorts of graphic organizer, homework reminder and even relaxation apps. My husband has an itouch for work, so we are familiar with them and interested in the possibilities. My sons have pretty severe problems when it comes to organization at school (cannot keep track of what they are supposed to do and when and what they need to do it) and it would be really cool if the itouch could help with this.

My concerns are that they would simply lose it. They really can't keep track of anything, and this might become one more thing that they will stress over being responsible for. Or that it would just become another distraction.

Does anyone have experience using an itouch or iphone to help their ASD kids? If so, what age are the kids? What apps do you use? And how has it helped?

Being a huge nerd myself I am in favor of any and all electronic devices. But if you are looking to get your child something to help, I would recommend a net book. These are basically like miniature laptops. For example, look here:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Computers-P ... 3300050051

These cost around 200$ to 250$ depending on features, where you buy them, and if they are on sale. Which is about the same as an Itouch or Ipad. The difference being that a net book has all the abilities of a computer with a full keyboard, larger screen, CD drive, and USB hook ups. You also get unlimited access to the internet instead of the modified and scaled down version available on the Itouch. And of course you can download any applications you want, not just those available at the app store.

A good net book will have about 4 to 6 hours of battery life, and be great for all sorts of other things such as writing papers, browsing forums, etc. And of course you can play games with it. Plus, it has a much larger screen on it so you can see and read things much easier.

The downside of a net book is that it is more complicated to use then an Itouch. You have to use a mouse and keyboard instead of just clicking on the pictures. An Itouch is also smaller and can easily be carried in your pocket, whereas a net book wont fit in your pocket, you'll have to keep it in a separate backpack, or bag of sorts. So if all you want to use it for is text to talk via some sort of PECS system then it is probably too big and cumbersome for that.

i used a PDA in high school to keep myself more organized. i had a cute little foldout keyboard that hooked up to it and i'd use it to take notes (i absolutely hate writing with pens or pencils and i have no idea why but it simply takes me forever to write anything and i can type faster than most people can talk.) but then i got bored with the subject matter because i'd read the text book cover to cover in the first week of school. boredom with the social niceties is what would usually lead to reading the whole textbook. boredom with the teacher explaining things out of the book that i felt needed no further explanation lead to my afternoon blog posts being several pages long.

i have an iphone and it helps keep me organized. it's very much helpful to keep me on task and on schedule if i have a lot of things to do in a given day and no one to supervise. for instance, my "clean the damn catbox" alarm just went off and i'm going to go do that. i should have done it when i woke up and smelled nasty-catbox on my way to make coffee, but for some reason i'm really bad at getting things done unless i feel like "it's time."


i could see an iphone or itouch being a great intellectual stimulator for your sons since they can use any wifi network they have access to (or is unlocked) to look things up online and there are plenty of great reference apps like dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, and libraries of books. this is also another great example of how it could just add to the distraction factor.

also not to be underestimated: kids like toys. if your sons are playing with devices like this in their spare time, recess, lunch, etc., there are other kids who will hang out with them just to play with it. you can limit the toy factor by putting a password on their itunes accounts so that they can't even download free apps without your permission and you can forbid them from clearing their internet browser history. young males and internet access almost invariably leads to some awkward conversations.




this idea seems like it could be very beneficial if it works out but also very distracting and complicating. you said your husband already uses an itouch. i recommend getting one, or an iphone, for yourself and trying it out for a while first. try the lowcost research first. try googling "autism iphone" or "iphone app for autistic children" or ask about it on an autism support website like wrongplanet.


looks like you're already on the right track. i hope it works out, if you decide to go with it.






oh yeah, and pay the extra money for the damage coverage...... you'll always feel like a sucker paying the extra 60 or 70 bucks, but iphones are a fair bit easier to drown than others and usually cost more to replace than to buy the first time because of the way discounts work.

My sons haven't been diagnosed but we are beginning to suspect they they both might be HFA. One I would have no trouble giving an iTouch to, the other no way, they are 10 and 11.

But the one that would lose it would use it and the one that would know where it was would use it on a limited basis.

So you kind of have to know your son's habits. Is he good at keeping track of things he likes, is he gadget oriented, does he like to organize things, etc.

I have to agree with tracker here with regards to the netbook idea. I actually think it is a better idea and will set you back just as much as an itouch.
Believe it or not, one of the biggest problems I had in school was handwriting. Until I began to start typing papers in HS. I really think that a netbook would be ideal because they are light, use little battery life, but will also integrate the use of keyboards into his daily life. I can go on for the other reasons, but the truth is for adults these days, typing is a more important skill than handwriting. On top of that netbooks have all the organization abilities that an ipod touch will.

I know this sounds weird, but I still struggle inputing text on my ipod touch. Getting used to a touch screen is still not as user friendly as a tactile keyboard.

I am not ruling out an ipod touch, I do like mine. But on the other hand I have to side with tracker and think in the long run a netbook is a better idea.

My son, currently 12, uses an alphasmart at school (handwriting problems) and we've discussed buying him something like a netbook instead, but he is not actually in favor of it. The reason he is unorganized is because he is rushed, and using these tools involves an extra step. He feels the time invested in the extra step will set him back further. So that is the trade off: time.

The alphasmart has battery life for pretty much a full school year, so never, ever needs plugging in. It is a limited tool, but one that involves no more set up than pulling out a piece of paper.

Yes I do have experience in this area interface is and interest of mine. Volunteer as a friend and mentor to a non-verbal boy with ASD and cerebral. Trailed plenty of devises with him including i-pod, etc. I also have clinical executive dysfunction, and unsuccessfully tried to use a PDA to manage my life, when I was much more naive.

Your concerns are valid ones.

Prescribing specific technologies or "boy's toys" to a wide ranging group such as ASD, is more than a little foolish and shows poor understanding of interface and user needs. All of these devices have limitations. It really depend how they are used, and it is always going to be unique to the person. You have to consider the whole package, device, operating system, software, etc and how that would interface. I've given my feedback to specialist software in this field. One thing I am strong on is the need for the software to have interface designing capabilities built in. It is not sufficient just to give them some options.

My daughter had one and what you fear happened. She lost hers. She just got it for Christmas and was doing SO well with keeping track of it...but then she left it on the bus one day and never got it back. The other issue for her was that she didn't actually take advantage of the organizing things. Though she did have some need 'relaxing' games which I think helped her. Plus, she tends to get obsessed with things like this. For the first three weeks of it I had to demand that she take her face out of the itouch. She was always using it.

So I'm guessing there are some advantages if your child will use it for organizing. But there are also disadvantages.

B

I would really advise AGAINST a netbook or a laptop computer, for several reasons. Mainly because they provide a lot more capabilities than an iPhone or other assistant technology, and therefore are a HUGE distraction. It also seems way too extravagant to buy something like that, which would only be used for word processing. I think kids are distracted enough in school, and this would only add to the problem. Not to mention the value of the computer is much greater - if it was lost, stolen, or broken...

I do use an iPhone and I find it very helpful, but I would also recommend an AlphaSmart or an eMate.

To whom? Rule 1: know the user.

Great thread -- I started one just like it, weeks ago, but didn't get near the response, so this is good stuff to read.

If I were inclined to buy an I-touch for my son, I would start out with something else first and see how your son handles keeping track of it. We got an ipod nano a couple years ago for our son (as a freebie when purchasing a computer) and watched him carry that to school (only for use on the bus). He loses other stuff, but not this. THEN, he got my husband's hand-me-down phone when husband got a new one for work -- again, keeps it in his backpack, only uses it on the bus. Again, surprisingly, he has not lost this phone or even misplaced it.

We probably will be getting an I-touch for our son in a couple of months (birthday) and after that, I can probably give a better idea of whether it's useful for him or not. I do, however, think that it's very possible that the extra step of using the scheduling apps may be too much at his age. College aged kids, I think, have the maturity to use these technologies. BUT, you never know -- the interest in the technology itself may be just what the child needs to finally get into scheduling stuff!!

I don't have much to contribute but I just wanted to say a couple of things. As for losing it, there are lots of cases and stuff for the ipods that they make for runners so they can attach to your arm or something (I'm sure you could attach it some other way). They're so small that they are easy to keep in a pocket if your son's are good at keeping things in a pocket. There is another device called an archos. I have one and LOVE it, of course I use it for music/movies/etc and not as an aug com device. I'm not sure if it has communication software, but I just thought it is an alternative brand you could look into. They use android which is becoming more and more popular so someone might be developing software similar to what the ipod has. I have the archos 5 internet tablet, that is the one with android. You could always get a used iTouch or iPod on craigslist or ebay and see how it goes.

http://archos.com/
http://www.searchtempest.com/ (a way to search craigslist and ebay)

Thank you for all the responses. My sons already do use alphasmarts at school, neither really like them (they find it frustrating that they can only view what they have been working on in fragments). We have discussed them getting netbooks with the school, and the plan is to introduce them in the next couple of years (they are both currently in grade 4). There were concerns about the level of responsibility required to look after them, as well as the distraction factor, but they are definitely going to be what we need in the near future.

The good news regarding the itouch's is that our ST just got them on a waiting list to trial 2 itouch's for free (a program they have set up locally for ASD kids). They will have them over the summer, so we can get a good idea of the pros and cons and whether we want to get them for Gr. 5. So this is really ideal. We can get a chance to see how our sons would actually use the technology before laying out the $400 for two of them.

I am thinking if we do end up using them for school, we should get some sort of holster for them that attaches to their belts like astaut suggested. They are used to wearing epi belts daily, and almost never forget or misplace them, so that might be a great way to add them to their routine without adding something extra to remember.

For a child I wouldn't get them an iphone I would get them a Itouch or a IPAD. I have seen Itouches for about
200 dollars or even lower.. But the one thing you might have to take into consideration is some schools ban cell phones
and also devices like the Itouch. But in your case if the school is smart (My oldest sons school isn't) they allow technology
in the class room. The iphone has a lot of extra charges with monthly service plan etc, even internet charges if you
dont get the unlimited internet plan. Looking at a 99 dollar cost a month.

If you want your child to have a phone then ya the iphone would be the best.
The itouch you just use a wireless connection and done with it. No more cost, except buying applications.

Netbooks are another option too. Can get a decent one for around 400. But a lot of them are
not touch screen like the iphone/itouch/IPad. Man apple loves the I.

I think I know why your school chose the Iapples for their choice of computer. They are really
easy to use and the application store has a lot choices for software to install on the machine.
Some are free and others have costs. Be sure to talk with your son about installing applications on the
machine or at least setup the device under your own username and password and dont give it to them.
Dont want one of those mystery bills showing up, asking your son/daughter why you have a 100 dollar or
more bill.

My middle son that is non-verbal is able to use the iphone like a pro, but gets really frustrated with
using a mouse and really doesnt have the motor control to do so. We are seriously thinking about
getting a touch screen monitor, since windows 7 now supports touch screen devices without having
to install special software.

Thanks
Sock
http://www.autismideas.com