New technology helps autistic kids communicate better

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Posted: 11:54 PM Oct 20, 2010

New technology helps autistic kids communicate better

Video games and specialized exercises are two methods helping autistic children

communicate better.

Reporter: Maureen McFadden

Email Address: Maureen.McFadden@...

Here is a truly startling statistic: the number of kids born with autism

increases 10-to-17 percent each year.

We all know the challenges those diagnosed face when it comes to simply

communicating with others. Now, new technologies are bridging that gap faster

than you might imagine.

Simply speaking is just one way to communicate, but interaction may be a better

option, especially for kids with autism.

Rodrigues Fortiz of System Informatics at University of Granada said,

" It's a system to help people communicate with another people.”

This " scout " program in Spain relies on special video gaming systems like this

Nintendo DS. Kids can learn basic tasks, as well as telling teachers what they

want to do, all by touching this screen. A study in 16 Spanish schools found the

program decreased outbursts and improved overall behavior.

Fortiz said, " They are less aggressive because they can communicate. "

The 20 " brain balance " centers in the US offer a slightly different approach.

Dr. Mark Goldenberg, Executive Director at Brain Balance Center in Norwalk, CT,

said, " The fundamental issue in these kids is that both hemispheres are not

linking up. "

Kissa has a form of sensory processing disorder - one brain hemisphere is

weaker than the other.

Doctor Goldenberg uses special goggles and exercise to stimulate her vision,

balance and hearing. The goal: to strengthen that weakness through therapy three

times a week and better nutrition.

Sue Kissa, 's mother, said, " We feel like she's really come a very

long way and sort of gotten to the place we thought she could get to. "

's mom sees the method maturing quickly now the millions with autism using

modern technology to develop them in the modern world.

Researchers say video games and robots work better for kids because they are

more predictable and consistent than humans.

Research Summary:

HIGH-TECH HELP FOR AUTISM

REPORT #1716

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a range of complex

neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication

difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior.

Autistic disorder, sometimes called autism or classical ASD, is the most severe

form of ASD. It varies widely in severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized,

especially in mildly affected children or when it's masked by more debilitating

handicaps. Health care providers will often use a questionnaire or other

screening instrument to gather information about a child's development and

behavior. There is no cure for ASD. Therapies and behavioral interventions are

designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial

improvement. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions

that meet the specific needs of individual children. Most health care

professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better. (Source:

national Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

WAIT, YOU WANT MY CHILD TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES?: Researchers around the world are

creating video games to study cognitive skills in children with autism using a

revolutionary interface: gesture recognition software that registers the

players' movements and transfers them to the screen. The programs use photos,

sounds and positive feedback as part of a scoring system to encourage autistic

children to learn. At issue is the importance of developing personal

relationships and becoming a part of society. While video games can be

educational and entertaining, their reputation as a solitary activity can

present an impediment to progress for people with autistic disorders by

limiting their exposure to social situations. Researchers are also concerned

that playing video games could become one of the many repetitive activities that

an affected child engages in. (SOURCE: BrainBalanceCenters.com; Lowry, Donna.

Brain Balance Helps Kids With Autism; Loftus, Tom. Virtual World Teaches

Real-World Skills)

BRAIN BALANCE: Brain Balance is a program designed to help kids with functional

disconnections overcome challenges. The Brain Balance approach seeks to

strengthen either the right hemisphere of the brain for neurological disorders

such as autism and ADHD or the left side of the brain for obsessive-compulsive

disorder and dyslexia. The centers treat everything from diet to physical,

sensory to academic areas. Three months of treatment in the program would cost

on average over six thousand dollars. * For More Information, Contact:

Dr. Mark Goldberg

Brain Balance Centers

(203) 847-3000

Norwalk@...