There are many autistic children that have difficulty speaking or expressing themselves with words. This can be very frustrating for an autistic child. Not to mention, not only is it frustrating for the child but also for the child’s parents and siblings.  For example, not being able to help out your daughter or son can make one feel very helpless and sad. Now, thanks to today’s technology autistic children are able to express what they feel or want. One of these new particular apps is called Proloquo2go. Proloquo2go is a Latin word that means speak out loud.

Proloquo2go is an app that can be downloaded on an I-Pad or I-phone. This program speaks out what you want to say or feel by simply pressing on a picture with words. Many years ago an app like this would cost around $7000. Now, this particular app will not cost nearly as much.  This app is worth the money because being able to express what you feel is priceless.  Whether it’s by using your own voice or allowing an I-Pad to speak for you.  As a matter of fact, anybody can use this application.  Proloquo2go is for anyone that is having difficulty speaking. Not only do people with autism use this app but so do many others with Down syndrome and other handicaps.

As I mentioned before, one would simply click on a picture with words and by doing so, the system will speak what you clicked on.  It can also speak in sentence form, how awesome is that? Creating an app that can express how you feel by simply clicking on what you want it to say is great. Children and adults do not have live a frustrated life. Hence, parents can now understand and help out their child in whatever way they need. It’s is a good feeling to know that your child can speak through an I-Pad and say what they feel. 

I-Pads and tablets were definitely a great creation for many.  In the video Apps for Autism, I-Pads and tablets are a great way to allow children with autism to express their feelings.  These devices changed many lives.  Many autistic children suffer because they are not able to speak or express themselves very well. Children with autism are very smart and at times know exactly what they seek and feel. There was a scene in which there was an older student trying to express themselves or speak by just pointing out the letters and eventually making a word. In addition to that, his mother would have to figure out what exactly he was trying to say. This old way of expressing himself was difficult and frustrating for him.  At times, this particular student would just give up and shut down. With this new advanced technology he is now able to have a voice and express what he wants or feels. Also, he is able to communicate in many different ways. These new apps allowed the student to develop and express just like anyone else. 

            There is another study done in the video Apps for Autism. This study was done in an autistic kindergarten classroom. These kindergarten children had a little more severe autism. These kids had a very difficult time expressing their feelings because they were both very young and severe autism.  Not only did they have a hard time expressing themselves, but they also had a hard time focusing and engaging into certain activities. Their attention span was very short.  Once the teacher brought out the IPads or tablets and began working on certain activities, the students were able to stay focused and interact with the devices. Although these devices may not be for every autistic child, I believe that with practice and time most children can progress and succeed.

Some apps are specifically created for children with autism. For example, there is Autism Express. This app allows children to point out how they feel.  When they click or touch on a face with an emotion, it expresses it out. For instance, if the child touches the sad face, the face will express a sad face with sad sounds.  Another app created for autistic children is, Look in My Eyes. This app teaches autistic children to practice making eye contact, for they lack making eye contact when they speak. Overall, I-Pad, tablets and creating apps for autism opened a whole new world for autistic children. The youngsters can benefit from this and be able to have a somewhat “normal” life.