Today’s kids are growing up tech savvy. There are computers in schools and electronic toys at home. But what if your child has a disability that limits her physically or cognitively? Never fear, the technology gurus won’t let you down!
Getting Dressed
Children need to learn many skills. Getting dressed should not be one of the hardest. We all know that it’s difficult to go out into the world if you aren’t dressed properly, but putting on clothing can be a challenge. There are so many buttons and zippers! Fortunately there are many caring people in the garment industry. One such company, Specially For You, Inc., sells everything from night clothes to pants and dresses that offer adaptive clothing for special needs kids.
Sticking to the Schedule
Now that your child is out and about, how will he remember the steps needed to accomplish the various tasks that fill a young mind? The Watchminder can help. It looks like a normal wristwatch, but is so much more. This assistive technology product tells time of course, but also has a memo function that allows a schedule of tasks and events to be loaded. Use it at home to signal a child to get out of bed and periodically to go to the bathroom. Out in the world, children with attention difficulties can be reminded to pay attention in class or perform the tasks they need to accomplish each day.
Speech Made Easy
Communication is the key to learning. As children learn to speak, they learn new ideas. Through the acquisition of speech, they learn to read and write and even to form social relationships. But there are thousands who suffer communication disorders. What these children need is a way to communicate ideas easier. For many, learning to use their voice is the first step. Software such as TalkTime with Tucker by Laureate Learning Systems makes the process easy and fun. By making a sound—any sound—into a microphone, a child can direct the actions of a character in one of five stories.
Assistive Technology Software
As children grow older, they need to develop various thinking and reasoning skills. Computer software such as Inspiration, by Inspiration Software Inc., can help. According to the company, the software, developed for students in sixth through twelfth grades, helps students to “plan, research, and complete projects successfully.” Most of us can use help in those areas. In Diagram View, for example, students use pictures to represent ideas. They can assemble those into a flow chart, which can be useful in illustrating the steps needed to complete a task.
Playtime—Adaptive Toys
Finally, let’s talk about adaptive toys. Everyone from child to adult loves a good toy, and play time is very important to a child’s development. There are a plethora of adaptive toys on the market. Parents just have to browse through the Web site for Toys R Us to see how much attention the industry is paying to children with special needs. Many educational/recreational devices/activities are available, from balls with sound, that help infants learn numbers/shapes (Vtech) to games that help develop socialization skills like Pressman Toys’ Charades for Kids.
There are many assistive technology products out there to help you help your child. What do you use? I'd love to hear from you. Tell me and your fellow readers about any innovative tools you’ve seen or used that you think deserve mention in a future article.
