Computers

We have had some very mixed results when trying to introduce a computer for Zoe to use. We found that initially Zoe really benefited from being able to play her favourite music and she was very happy indeed. Then came her obsessive behaviour, Zoe would play the same 5 seconds of a song over and over again. What we found was that rather than providing a source of stimulation for Zoe, the computer was fuelling her frustrations, leading to increased levels of tantrums and very vocal behaviour. (Please refer to our Behaviour page on the left)

We took advice and removed the computer from her playroom altogether which has worked to calm Zoe down. Zoe then began to repeat the same behaviour on her CD player, getting it to repeat segments of music and getting stressed when she could not get the device to work exactly as she wanted. Zoe has now worn her CD player out and we have not rushed out to replace it.

So now we are left with a problem, how do we provide an interface for a child who has considerable difficulty writing yet can spell accurately and age appropriate? The answer came from the school.

Zoe now has a device called a Neo which is a laptop style computer (without a lid) and which is very robust.

The Neo is a learning aid and nothing more, it has a display more akin to an old word processor, with a monochrome display and variable font sizes allowing you to have more or less rows visible on the display. This device has no other functionality and as such, is less of a distraction. Autistic children need simple, the less bells and whistles the better, making this device prefect for our autistic daughter's needs.

This device has served Zoe well for a number of years and we have been very happy to say that it gave Zoe a means of expressing herself at a time when she was not able to write at all. This inability to write, coupled with her inability to express herself was a real problem.

Zoe began to complete spelling tasks on her Neo, to write short story's and to perform many tasks which previously would have been impossible.

This was great at a time when Zoe was schooled within a comprehensive primary school and the school were trying to integrate Zoe into their mainstream classes. Zoe has since moved to a dedicated special school and they have worked wonders with her hand writing but Zoe still takes her Neo to school and her keyboard skills are fantastic.

If you are a parent reading this and wondering about the relationship between autistic children and computers, we would like to leave with a couple of thoughts,

Conventional computers can all too easily become child minders. The child is contented whilst using his or her computer so we are happy to leave them to it. This can be very counter productive, and we are really talking from experience here. The child can become more withdrawn than ever and as such the computer can hinder the process of bringing the child into our world. Used in moderation, with some regular adult supervision they are a real asset, we just have to get the right balance.

Watch out for obsessive behaviour. Zoe became over stimulated by her PC, playing music videos and mp3's simultaneously. Zoe would then start exhibiting more autistic behaviour and becoming very much obsessed with specific mouse clicks and angry when she could not get a song, video or youtube clip to do exactly what it did the last 50 times she played it. The pay back for this was a child who developed some frightening obsessive behaviour and who was not fun to have around at all.

We have learnt from our mistakes and Zoe now has strictly limited access to a laptop for her own pleasure and we always have one of us within earshot to help her when she is confused or distressed. For school work, Zoe continues to use her Neo and this seems to be working (at the moment)

We never know if we are doing the right thing, but we never stop trying - do we?