Thursday, July 30, 2009

Clinic Notes: IPods and Asperger's

I love my IPod. Only the music that I want downloaded at a cheap price. I listen to my IPod when I run, want to relax, work outside, on planes, anywhere that boredom might sit in. I've even thought about doing ABA podcast, but haven't got around to it yet. And I tell mothers who bring their children to my clinic to listen to their IPod when their kids are tantruming. I wasn't surprised to read that IPods are being used to teach social skills to children with Asperger's. Kids with Asperger's have problems deciding what is appropriate and inappropriate social behavior. At a Minneapolis Center for children with Asperger's social stories depicting how to behave in different situations are placed on short videos and slide shows. The kids with Asperger's can watch the relevant videos or slide show before they are in the actual situation and then adapt their behavior. I plan to try this in my clinic with some of my Asperger's kids.