Autistic kids bank on technology

Autism has no cure, but new research shows that computers and smartphones can improve their communication, social skills and enhance their ability to learn.

Autism continues to affect many children worldwide. It is a brain disorder characterised by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and repetitive behaviours.

While there is no cure for the condition, there is new evidence that the use of technology improves their communication, assists in the development of social skills and enhances their ability to learn.

Researchers from Canada recently studied children with non-verbal autism, stock image pictured, who were each Apple iPads for a six-month trial at school.

Following the experiment, nine of the students showed a statistical improvement ranging from mild to significant in their overall communication skills.

Two mothers offer an intimate and personal look into the day-to-day life of raising children with autism and how technology has helped improve their way of life.

Jane Maina is a mother to nine-year-old Immanuel Njau who is autistic. For her, raising Immanuel has been very challenging but she is not about to give up on him because she believes he is an extraordinary child.

Jane, a mother of three, says the journey to discovering that her firstborn was autistic began when she was living in the US. Immanuel had hit 18 months and was non-vocal. This sent a chill to his parents who could not understand what was wrong with him.

“Children at that age utter some sounds but Immanuel could not.  At some point, he developed some speech but he later lost it. That’s when we took him to a paediatrician who after examining him suggested that he was autistic,” says Jane.

“The paediatrician referred us to a neurologist and psychologist for further evaluation and the psychologist equally found that our son had autistic spectrum,” she adds.

As parents, the news hit them hard but they decided to search and give the best care to their son.

“We took him for speech therapy until he was six years old. We started doing online research and discovered that the climate in Kenya was more favourable for autistic children and that’s when we decided to come back home,” says Jane.

After a short while in Kenya, they started noticing a big improvement. Immanuel became more social and could communicate better than before.

According to Jane, her son, who is in grade four has become a die-hard fan of computers.

She offers: “He loves using computers and is familiar even with the software. Some of the applications have really helped to improve his communication and writing skills. He even prefers doing mathematics with the help of a computer. It helps him grasp the concepts easily.”

Since the challenge in Kenya is school placement for autistic children, Jane says they opted for the Accelerated Christian Education system for their son because it is ‘soft’ and easier compared to 8-4-4.

“In this system, one studies at their pace and Immanuel is doing very well. He is an A-student and since he loves computers, we are encouraging him to have computer time,” she says.

Jane is equally grateful to her husband who she says is very supportive.

“He has been there all through, seeing to it that Immanuel tries different therapies. He has kept us going even when we wanted to give up. My son’s paternal grandparents have also been very supportive financially, considering that raising a child with autism is very expensive,” she says.

For Esther Wairimu, a mother of two, the script is almost similar. Her firstborn son, Trevor, was only three when it was discovered that he was autistic.

“When he was growing up right from birth, he was a normal child. However, he couldn’t make simple sounds that kids make,” says Wairimu.

“The mistake we made is that we didn’t seek medical intervention early. People kept assuring us that there was no cause for alarm and it was just delayed milestones,” she says.

Trevor had to attend several clinic sessions. At the age of four, his parents took him to a special boarding school.

“He recorded some improvement. He became much calmer unlike before when he was very hyperactive. After seven months in boarding school, we decided to take him to a normal school,” says Wairimu.

Upon discovering Therapies for Kids, Wairimu says they have achieved a lot as far as the development of their son is concerned.

“He is now eight years and in Class One. He can write well, his concentration is good and he can even initiate a conversation,” she says. “I have also discovered that my son loves music so much. He will listen to a particular song today and tomorrow you will hear him singing the same song. On the other hand, he also loves using a computer and we are planning to buy him one for use at home We are planning to enroll him into another normal school with a computer programme to boost his abilities,” says Wairimu.

Just like Esther, Wairimu says it has not been easy bringing up Trevor.

“There is the stigma that comes with it. People think he is bewitched or insane, but we love him,” she says. “My husband has been very supportive and I thank him for that. Most of the times, you find it is women running around with these children. Fathers, too, need to be there for them.”

Technology for autistic children 

Though technology can’t provide a cure for autistic children, it motivates them and increases their attention span and ability to interact socially.

According to Nancy Muya, an occupational therapist at Therapies for Kids, the development of gadgets such as computers, laptops and smartphones is a plus for autistic children.

But the challenge is how many children can access them.

“Most autistic children exhibit signs such as lack of communication, poor direct eye contact and lack of social skills. But they have an attachment to a particular object, either a toy, piece of cloth, computer or any other object,” says Muya.

 “Autistic children have different characteristics hence, when deciding on technology options, it is important to consider the individual needs of a child and the ability of the gadget to meet their needs,” she adds.

For gadgets such as ipads, she adds that you must include the features that you want the child to learn.

“If you are teaching a child on toileting, you must put a picture of the toilet, similar to the one you have at home for them to get used to the pattern. If you don’t have a computer, you can use charts. If it’s bedtime, show them the bed. As they continue to do that, then the skill is learnt and mastered.”

James Karanja, the chairman of Autism Support Centre and a teacher at Kenya Community Centre for Learning says children with autism are visual learners hence, they do better with use of visual senses in learning.

“They want to see the actual object and are keen to detail. They want to see number ‘1’; they want to touch and manipulate it and also hear people mention it. This provides a better learning environment than a classroom,” says Karanja.

Sometimes they have issues with motor skills but find it easier to type on a computer.

According to Karanja, technology gives autistic children a variety of different learning styles.

“We are working on a handbook to be used by teachers to teach these children using computers. Countries like the US have incorporated the use of technology for autistic children.”

Muya further adds that if the government rolls out the laptop programme for class one pupils, then they should also do the same for children with autism.

“This will greatly help develop their communication among other skills,” says Muya.

Photo: www.haberler.com