4 Best Smartphone Apps for Children With Autism

01 Apr 4 Best Smartphone Apps for Children With Autism

The Google Play Store is flooded with apps for kids to enjoy, but many of them are geared toward entertainment and early learning. However, there is an underserved population of children with autism who have unique needs.

It can be difficult for parents of these children to find digital resources to help their children learn about the complex world around them. So we’ve chosen some of the best Android and iPhone apps for you to use below, and you can play games from top online us casinos.

Apps for Communication (AAC)

Communication can be difficult for some children on the autism spectrum, but there are still ways for them to become familiar with words and when to use them. One method is to use AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). Children who struggle with language production or comprehension can use AAC to replace or help verbal communication with others.

Card Talk

This app allows a child to create a “deck” of 200 flashcards with words, which are then played in the order they are selected. At the bottom, there are several word groups, including actions and questions, and word choices in the middle. A child chooses three cards to construct simplified sentences for everyday communication, and each card has helpful pictures to make card selection even easier for children learning to read, just like the simple slots you can find at a mobile casino.

Other features you may find helpful include support for other languages, the ability to create cards using images taken from the device, and the absence of any advertisements to distract your child.

However, there are some limitations to what Card Talk has to offer. Because the interface only allows for the use of three cards at a time, your child’s communication options are limited. If their thoughts require more than three cards, they will need to swap out cards regularly to convey more complex ideas.

Furthermore, even though there are several language options, each language is limited to the same voice. Because there are no options for different pitches, speeds, or accents, you must settle for the stock voice that is available for each language.

Train Your Brain. Coordination

Don’t be misled by the company name, Senior Games; this is an app for players of all ages. There are six mini-games to choose from, each with 30 levels. Timing, balancing the phone angle, spatial awareness, and patience are all required in the games. They are fairly simple, with minimalist yet appealing graphics, so they will appeal to both children and adults.

The Path with Obstacles game is extremely challenging because it involves moving a ball through an obstacle course using only the phone’s gyro sensor. This is an excellent choice for parents to use as part of a reward system or as a break between learning activities.

However, many users complain about the app’s constant advertisements, which appear to appear on full-screen between each level or game. These ads lead to apps unrelated to Train Your Brain, implying that they should not be used without parental supervision. With a single tap, your child could be directed to an app that you believe is inappropriate for them. Even though the cost of removing apps is a reasonable $3.00, this can be a real turn-off.

Khan Academy Kids

With its free courses, this app is more similar to academic learning, but the included activities offer much more. Children can practice tracing letters, drawing lines to connect pairs, collecting moving insects, and even dropping and picking up bath toys from a tub. These activities scale based on your child’s age, and they can retrace their steps and choose an activity they’ve previously completed if they wish.

The only downside of this app is that it is not tailored to children with autism, and its emphasis on motor skills is limited compared to what it offers for primary school education. It is also more difficult to focus on activities for fine motor skills because of the app’s broad scope of activities, and children can bounce around the app without supervision. Though it provides a lot for free, fine motor skills are not directly addressed.

Otsimo | Special Education

This is an all-in-one application suite, with everything from cognitive-skill games to built-in AAC! Otsimo has a lot to offer both kids and parents, and it’s backed up by ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) standards. This app, like other educational programs, offers a “learning path,” but it focuses on skills that require reinforcement for children with learning or developmental impairments

The activities and focuses shift as a child progresses along the path. If a child is not only on the autism spectrum but also suffers from other related disorders, such as ADD, the activities can help children address both.

Although the app is free to download, a monthly subscription is required to access all of its features. If you find the free app lacking, there are several subscription models available.