Technology and Autism, Does it Work?

Phone with Castle

Do we really appreciate how technology enhances day-to-day life? Or maybe it doesn’t, it could just make things worse. We have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to technology. so let’s talk about it, let’s discuss technology and autism, and if it really works.

The Good

So excited to start with the good aspects of technology for us, as some amazing things have occurred. For instance, Carter taught himself Spanish by watching YouTube videos on his IPad. Just one day, he starts to talk to his previous ABA therapist, and she tells us he is speaking Spanish. I mean how cool is that. Well, it started out being cool, until it became more than Spanish. One day the television was in all French, and there was no way for me to figure out how to turn it back.

With this being said, now all of our televisions sets mysteriously speak in different languages, with the only person able to fix them is Carter.

It also helps us with home-school, I mean the Magic School Bus is epic, and comes through on some scientific aspects that we just are not prepared for. How else do you teach your child about the universe and shrinking buses.

The Bad

Hmm, the bad. There is quite a bit of ugly, so trying to decide the bad is a little complicated. Carter gets hooked on certain things, like his movies. He will watch a new movie on his TV, or at the movies, and want to see the same movie a thousand times.

Like mentioned before in other articles, Carter also needs his TV on playing noise in the background. It literally is going 24/7 in his room, just so he doesn’t get scared. We actually haven’t figured out what is scaring him yet, but we will get there.

Games not ending the way he anticipates, also are a bad aspect of technology. He envisions a certain ending, and if it doesn’t go the way he planned, then he gets upset with the result. We have been working on this for a while now though, as this used to be in the ugly column.

The Ugly

Epic meltdowns from technology has made us almost give up on all technology. Like ten times.

IPad dies, meltdown. Movie disk doesn’t work, disaster. Nintendo Switch has him losing a battle, thrown controllers.

One of the worst times we had to go through was Carter and phones. This was mostly our fault, as we gave him our phones to keep in occupied in doctors visits and to get him through stores. However, this became the known for him. and he demanded it every time. If the phone didn’t work, or died halfway through, he would be extremely upset. We finally were able to get the phone away from him, and actually have reached a point where he doesn’t even ask for it anymore.

4 Comments on “Technology and Autism, Does it Work?

  1. Pingback: A Boy and His iPad! - Tumor 2 Autism

      • that is good…our M is learning so much from the program…he use it at school and home ….he move up three levels now….working on color words, clothing, household items etc. awesome program it does sign language with the words too!

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