To celebrate Learning Disability Week and Disability Pride Month, we’re looking at how technology can support people with Autism in their day-to-day lives.

As technology continues to evolve, we realise it has the potential to be a force for good; a powerful way to empower children and young people living with autism, and those that care for them.

Autism, or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a lifelong condition affecting how people communicate and interact with the world around them.  There are a broad range of characteristics associated with autism. These can range from challenges with social skills, speech and communication, and sensory processing issues. Autism is not an illness or a disease, however the brain of someone with autism will work in a different way to those without autism.

In our experience, many children and young people of all ages with additional needs experience the same desire to use technology and explore the online world. With the right support and supervision, they can use the online world for help and guidance as well as for fun.

Here are five apps and websites that can be used to support children and young people with autism.

At the time of publication, all the below apps are free to download but may offer in-app purchases.

Please note: None of the below have been created or are owned by INEQE Safeguarding Group and we suggest reading the reviews before downloading or using any of the suggestions.

Individuals on the autistic spectrum may struggle to communicate verbally when feeling heightened emotions, experiencing an emotional overload or as part of the overall condition. Having apps that provide communication solutions is one of the great ways we see technology helping people with autism.

The Emergency App (available in the Apple app store for Apple devices) provides both pre-set and adjustable cards that can be shown to others as an alternative form of communication.

As stated on the app store, the Emergency Chat app “can be used in any situation where speech is impossible, but communication is still necessary.”

The Emergency Chat app has a splash screen with “base text that explains to the person you gave your phone to that you can’t use speech and want to use this app to communicate. The default text is aimed at people experiencing an autistic meltdown where their speech centres stay non-functional for a while even after they’ve recovered.”

Children and young people with autism may prefer to communicate via visual aids like image cards that depict activities and emotions. For example, a visual support card showing a picture of a milk carton may be used to request a glass of milk. A card showing an angry face may be presented to explain how that young person is feeling. They can also be used to outline what will be happening that day or in the future and create social stories.

The app ‘Card Talk’ provides users with picture cards to communicate with others. It has 200 free cards for everyday use and includes the option to add a voice recording to the cards. Users can create their own cards by uploading pictures and photographs. The app was developed from actual cards used in classrooms with children who have special education needs and transferred into app form, using technology to help children with autism communicate digitally. Card Talk is free but offers in-app purchases.

Makaton is a language support programme that uses signs, symbols and speech to enable people to communicate. Using Makaton can help children and young people with difficulties understanding or using spoken language, by giving them a means of communicating. Being able to communicate with others is a basic human need – without a method of communication, people with autism can end up feeling frustrated, isolated and unheard in their needs and wants.

The Makaton Charity has an active Facebook page with a new Makaton sign posted every week, a library of signs on their YouTube channel and a collection of free resources on their website. You can also find access to official Makaton training in your area under the ‘Learn Makaton’ section of the website.

A free app designed by Autistica in conjunction with King’s College London, Molehill Mountain is designed to help people with autism understand and manage their anxiety.

Users can track their mood and anxiety-triggering situations through daily check ins and complete daily exercises to help them cope with any worries. The app also provides tips to help users manage anxiety and build confidence.

Through completing the short daily check ins, users can unlock a full Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) course, which was designed specifically for users with autism.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a type of talking therapy that focuses on breaking down negative thought patterns and behaviours to change how a person thinks, to improve their state of mind. It is often used to treat anxiety and depression, alongside other mental and physical health problems.

By using technology to help children and young people with autism, apps like Molehill Mountain are providing a 24/7, easily accessible way for them to track, understand and manage their emotional needs.

Pablo is an animated cartoon about a boy with autism who draws imaginary animals to help him handle situations that make him feel uncomfortable. Voiced solely by individuals on the autistic spectrum, the characters within the show represent different traits of the spectrum. For example, the llama repeats things that people say – a trait associated with autism, known as echolalia.

UK Wide

England

For the full list of regional resources, please visit the website of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Scotland

Wales

Isle of Man