iPad Is Not Just For Fun

Too often, we forget that technology products are not just for playing games or to help us do our daily work. This week, SFWeekly has published a series of reports about how the iPad is helping children of autism. It's a wonderful read.

Under the headline "iHelp For Autism" the publication visited the family of Leo Rosa, a nine-year old that suffers from intense autism. Despite his limitations, Leo is learning to communicate better with his family thanks to a new iPad. According to the report:

Since the iPad's unveiling in April, autism experts and parents have brought it into countless homes and classrooms around the world. Developers have begun pumping out applications specifically designed for users with special needs, and initial studies are already measuring the effectiveness of the iPod Touch and the iPad as learning tools for children with autism. Through the devices, some of these children have been able to communicate their thoughts to adults for the first time. Others have learned life skills that had eluded them for years.

For Leo, the introduction of the iPad into the family home has been life-changing. According to Shannon Rosa, Leo's mother, she won the iPad in a school raffle for $5. She stated:

"With the iPad, Leo electrifies the air around him with independence and daily new skills," Rosa typed into an entry for BlogHer, a blogging network of women for which she edits and writes. Her blog was one of the first to bring widespread public attention to what one expert has called "a quiet revolution" for the autism community.

Stories like this aren't surprising. The iPad's relatively cheap price (compared to laptops) and size make it ideal for those in need. I invite our visitors to read the entire article here. You'll be happy you did! [Photo: SFWeekly]

Related articles