'MySocius App' Enables Autistic Children to Communicate Better

Researchers have developed a smartphone app to solve the communication problems experienced by autistic children.

"MySocius app", developed by a researcher at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), employs naturalistic teaching methods to help autistic children communicate better.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that leads to significant social, communication and behavioral changes. This innovation comes at a time when nearly one in every 88 children in the United States is affected with autism.

ASD starts normally by age three and stays through a person's life. Till now, there is no medical or blood test available for an early diagnosis of the condition. The behavior and development of the child are some factors used by health practitioners to determine the disorder.

"We wanted to help parents do more to help their children learn basic communication skills. We wanted to develop something that could assist parents right in their homes, and we wanted something that was supported by research," Dr. Keith Allen, who developed the app with BehaviorApp, LLC, a Lincoln, Neb.-based smartphone app development company, said in a news release. "Naturalistic teaching that provides pictures of objects and prompts for parents fit all of these requirements."

"This will allow us to put the experience of a professional like Dr. Allen into the hands of many families of children with autism," Evelyn Bartlett, CEO of BehaviorApp, said.

However, according to Dr. Allen, parents should not take the app as an alternative for professionals trained to treat speech and communication problems, but as a form of assistance at home.

The "MySocius app", which can boost communication skills in autistic children, is now available for downloading.