Thursday, March 27, 2014

Ipad Alternatives

As a parent of a child in the Autism Spectrum I know how we have all heard how Ipads are recommended therapy for children in the spectrum. But sometimes it's not easy to obtain one, and the rules to get one through programs often change. Such as only if the child is non verbal, or cannot communicate, etc.  There are some sites that offer an opportunity to get them as well, such as Danny's Wish.  I know that many parents cannot afford to outright purchase these computer tablets or do not qualify for whatever requirements some programs have. So that is why I wanted to make a list of cheaper alternatives.


I had written an article previously about a similar subject for Squidoo, but since then there have been more tablets in the market that are just as good or similar to the ipad.  One of the things that you will run into is memory, and processing speeds will be a lot smaller compared to ipads, but it is a sacrifice that must be made. Kindles are good, and cheap, such as the Kindle Fire HD with a 7" screen this is a very good alternative. It has 16gb of memory. I own this model myself, and my son used it for a long time before we were able to get him an ipad.


VS. 

Another cheap alternative, and one I feel is more kid friendly is the Nabi. Although the Nabi 2, which is the newest version available is more kid friendly it has a lot less memory with only 1GB, and it cost more than the Kindle Fire HD. But the Nabi will interact, and has Nick themed apps. So it's really a preference of the user, as to which is better.  They also have a Disney themed device, and both are pre-designed with the outer rubber case to protect the device.



I have pointed out a couple of different options in which to go if you cannot afford an ipad. So I hope that with this information and knowing your childs preferences I have helped you in making a wise choice.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Weighted Blankets as Therapy

There are more than a few uses for weighted blankets, but we got one for our son, so that he would sleep more restfully. He has sensory processing disorder, and loves deep pressure, as it calms him.
Our son with his Angry Birds Weighted Blanket

I do not know for a fact if the benefits of using a weighted blanket are true for all conditions, but it is said that people with different forms of anxiety disorders can use this as a calming technique. Anyone of any age can also benefit from their use. Perhaps you suffer from insomnia, restless leg syndrome or ADD?

They are made according to the users height and weight, so that the blanket will be more effective for that individual.  If the person enjoys the feeling of tight clothing or being swaddled up in blankets then this is the perfect item for them.