5 Great iPad Apps for Children with Autism

In recent years, Apple's iPad has revolutionized our means of communication, technology, and entertainment. But not even Steve Jobs himself could have predicted the impact that the iPad would have on children with autism and their families. As a behavior therapist for individuals with autism, I have witnessed the iPad's value as a learning tool, communication device, and picture schedule. It is also, quite frankly, really really fun.

Besides the myriad of games, music, and movies available to brighten up any child's day, there are currently hundreds of apps dedicated to helping kids with developmental disabilities in areas ranging from communication to social skills training. Even Apple critic John Gruber stated that "The iPad wasn't designed with autistic children in mind, but, anecdotally, the results are seemingly miraculous."

Here are five of the best iPad apps for children and teens with autism.

First Then Visual Schedule, $9.99

Pictures schedules increase independence in children with autism and also help reduce anxiety by adding structure to their routines. First Then Visual Schedule allows you to take and add photos (or find them online) and create a customizable list of activities for your child to follow. You can save multiple schedules and add captions or voice to each individual picture.

This app is great for creating activity schedules but also serves as a means to break down individual tasks (e.g. folding laundry, making cereal) into smaller steps.

Proloquo2Go, $189.99

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices have long been used as means of communication for individuals with developmental disorders. While they are useful tools, they tend to be quite costly. Proloquo2Go turns your child's iPad into a cost-effective communication device. Its user-friendly design and comprehensive interface make this app stand out from similar ones. The text-to-speech function allows children with autism to communicate by selecting from various symbols, which can be edited and rearranged based on individual ability and needs.

Stories2Learn, $13.99

Many children with autism have trouble comprehending basic social skills, such as sharing or playing a game with a friend. Stories2Learn provides a fun way for kids to learn these and other socials skills through simple sequential stories. This app combines pictures, text, and customizable audio messages to create stories that depict certain skills or activities that may normally be difficult for your child, such as taking turns or going to the dentist. The nice thing about Stories2Learn is that users can individualize their creations by adding their own pictures and voice, making it more comfortable and engaging for a child with autism.

iPromptsXL, $49.99

iPromptsXL is actually a few tools in one. Teachers and parents, put away the scissors and turn off the lamenator: You can create picture schedules with this app, as well as use images to offer choices to children with communication difficulties.

The visual countdown feature displays a countdown timer along with a selected image, making it easier for kids to understand how much time is left during a particular task or until the next one. iPrompts gives you the option of taking your own pictures, finding suitable images on the Web, or selecting from the pre-loaded image library.

AutismXpress Pro, $1.99

It can be a frustrating challenge for children with autism to decipher other people's emotions and express their own. AutismXpress is a handy app that removes the guesswork by providing a simple yet effective emotion recognition tool. It's easy to use and designed with kids in mind, making this important skill fun and accessible. Along with colorful and exaggerated images that depict a range of emotions to choose from, AutismXpress has entertaining games which help children further develop this aspect of social skills.

Sources: Shumaker, Laura. Autism and the iPad: Selecting the Best Apps. SF Gate.
Personal experience as an educator