An early intervention iPad app designed to be used as soon as children are diagnosed with autism has been developed by an Australian university.
The TOBY (Therapy Outcomes by You) Playpad application is a program that can be used while children wait to be admitted to an early intervention program, which can take months.
Deakin University Professor Svetha Venkatesh said starting therapy soon after diagnosis was critical for the long-term development of autistic children.
"However, many families face waiting lists of up to a year before getting their children into an intervention program," said Professor Venkatesh, who led the development of the technology.
A Western Australian autism support charity, Autism West Support Inc, and a group of Western Australian families contributed to the program's development.
Prof Venkatesh emphasised the app was not a replacement for therapy, but a cost-effective and proven program that parents could easily use with their children at home.
The multimedia program monitors the child's interactions and can adapt lessons to the child's performance and deliver reports to the parents and therapist.
The app, which costs $100, has been tested with autistic children, their parents and therapists.
(Source: skynews.com.au and youtube.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment