It is a provocative statement given the hype, but:

The iPad is not a “miracle device” for children with autism.

The iPad has received evangelical coverage in the media and blogosphere, especially when it comes to autism. Parents have flocked to the device and governments and other organizations that support children with a disability have been hit hard with requests for funding and to support the purchase of the device. Some philanthropic organizations, like golfer Adam Scott’s Foundation, have been providing iPads to families loaded with a suite of apps recommended for children with autism.

Of course, this has had the unintended impact of being quite a difficult experience for families of children with autism who can’t afford the device. The feeling that there may be something out there that can support their child’s development, but that they can’t access, is a terrible situation for a parent to be in. The reportage of the experience of children with autism who use the device doesn’t reflect on how parents and professionals support and engage with children to use the device. They promote it as though every child with autism is a savant who has been waiting for this perfect tool. While a few of the stories may be accurate, they generally do not show the whole picture of how an iPad supports child development.

Online there have been a large number of websites set up to review and assess “apps for autism.” There are an increasing number of YouTube videos showing children with autism and other disabilities making developmental progress using the iPad. Initial research using iPod Touches with primary school students, especially those with identified special needs, looks promising. The device is providing the cheapest augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that professionals and parents have seen. The anecdotal evidence that children with autism benefit from engaging with the iPad is high.

All that said, this is not a miracle device. And I’ll explain why.

 I have been working with an organization undertaking an iPad trial to see how it can be used by early childhood intervention professionals. I have worked with non-government and government agencies that have supported children and adults with a disability for more than 10 years and it is exciting to see the potential of the iPad. But, the potential of the iPad is not achieved by the iPad alone, nor by simply placing it in the hands of a child with autism. The potential of the device is realized by the way professionals like speech pathologists, educators, occupational therapists and early childhood development professionals apply their skills and knowledge to use the iPad to effectively support the development of children. The potential is realized by engaged parents working with those professionals to explore how the device best meets the individual needs of their child.

You see, it is called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because the impact it has on a child’s development spans the breadth of development. No two children can be supported in exactly the same way. Parents and professionals understand this, and because they do they also understand that for some children with autism it might not be the right time to introduce an iPad.

Of professionals I have spoken to who are using touch technology in their work, their main concern for children with autism is that the device is used excessively for what they refer to as “stim” (stimulation). Screen-based technology, for all of us, has the ability to stimulate a range of senses; for children with autism this is also the case and it can be heightened. An iPad may engage a child with autism, and help calm them down, but that does not necessarily mean it is providing any developmental opportunity. It is being used like so many of us use our devices from time to time — as a babysitter.

Of course, that use is fine some of the time. We all need time out, and who is to deny a child with autism their favorite computer game or some digital downtime? Not me. However, the point I am trying to make is that if the iPad is to be a useful tool in supporting children with autism to achieve their developmental goals and become the capable and fascinating adults we know they will be then it is how we use the iPad to support development that is most important — and the miracle there, as it always has been, is the parents and professionals who work with children with autism.

Digital tools are revolutionizing many lives, in many ways. But to do this well we need to be sure that we continue to think about how we can best use the technology. An iPad does not replace the need for children with autism to engage in a wide range of therapies that will support their development.

If you are a parent of a child with autism who is worried that you can’t afford an iPad, don’t — the device will come. The prices will come down. Governments will get on board. You will, as you always do, find a way. But, when you find that way, respect the tool and respect the amount of knowledge you have about your child’s development. Use the iPad in a way that means it is a useful tool and not a device that takes over. It is your child, your family and the network that surrounds you that is the miracle. Don’t forget that.

Key points to remember:

• While there are some apps that are more specific to use with children with autism (like AAC apps), all apps can provide developmental experience depending on how they are used and the child’s own developmental trajectory and interests. You can’t have a “Top 10 Autism Apps.”
• Given the need for professionals to be able to effectively use the tools as a therapy and developmental device, governments should be investing in the infrastructure and training in using the iPad for health professionals, educators and others who work with children with autism and other disabilities.
• The iPad is an attractive digital device. It can be used for children with a disability as an effective developmental transition tool. But don’t confine a child to an iPad. If they start drawing on the iPad, think about having another go with the crayons.