New technology to the rescue of autism – Life

Standing in front of the screen, the hand-held remote, Raphael, 6, easily navigate on the Wii. Dark complexion, light eyes, he turns away when called and responds with a broad smile: “My favorite is the sword. Typing is Winning! “ Near him psychologist Coralie Fouinat details: ” The Wii Fit promotes motor skills and coordination. With the Wii, the ability to play two or more also developing social skills. “

Behind the colorful ball pool, India-Rose claps his hands and his ears repeatedly. Returned to her table, she tapped on an iPad. This non-verbal autistic 11 year old discovers Nikitalk application. She used to date the workbook PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System, “Image exchange communication system”) to express themselves. The child refers pictograms, put together, form a sentence: “I want to … drink … water. “ Same principle with the digital medium, more convenient, more fluid, more enriched and speech synthesis.

Founded by Mr. Hammed Sajidi, president of the association Overcoming autism, Futuroschool is one of 28 experimental structures funded by public authorities in France. It is based on a personalized and behavioral methods. Each child has a laptop he uses it as a reinforcement. One draw with Colormania application, another look video or use a PowerPoint program on phonological awareness or type names.

Recognize emotions

“Multimedia improves concentration, reduces parasitic behaviors and facilitates learning” , summarizes Stephanie Hun psychologist Autism Resource Centre in Nice. She participated in the development of Jestimule software market since 2014, Sematic, in an experimental phase. “It’s a predictable support, logic, for children with autism, who does not interpret facies or the intonation of the speaker. Fatigue and anxiety decrease. “ Autism is characterized by an intuitive social treatment of difficulty. He struggles to take into account the totality and context. “Often the child focuses on a detail of the face: a mole, a hair clip … takes the psychologist, remains absorbed several minutes without seeing anything of other. As he misses the interpretation of emotion. “

Jestimule game teaches him to recognize emotions in avatars, by their indices (eyes, mouth, gestures) and then in a virtual reality and finally pictures of faces. Gradually, the child manages to translate this recognition in life. Thus, a boy who said indifferently “I am sick” or “I’m happy” to express an emotion has learned to identify and name it. With different levels Jestimule for children with and without language. Currently being tested in a dozen Nice Academy schools in large kindergarten sections, the Sematic software accompanies learning to read. If the returns are satisfactory, will be marketed in June.

Discover differently Child

Nicolas, 8, doubles this year its CP in the mainstream, in a school in Lyon. He knows more intuitive and fun tools developed by Auticiel, including puzzles and logical drives, uploaded on Family tablet. “By prepositioning parts, application led him to expand his vision and prevents it focuses some only said his father. In half a year, there has been fun, and is now able to form a 80-piece puzzle in real life. Although it retains its characteristic: most children initially form the perimeter, while it begins by assembling the pieces that go together. “

The interaction with remote objects is quite surprising: ” He was able to deftly handle a helicopter to 6 years old, who has problems apprehension of space. This feeling of taking power on an object is very rewarding for Nicolas, often offset the fact that it does not conceptualized as everyone. “ The technology makes it possible to discover her child differently: motivated, quiet, no crisis or repetitions, less disturbed by the stimuli sense

Learning with. the robot

But it also improves the accompaniment. At Futuroschool, for example, all sequences are filmed. Incident or otherwise well-run difficult situation, the reference person submitting the video to other psychologists and the supervisor at a weekly video conference that has an international network to analyze certain behaviors. “The video helps us to progress and to share our skills, Coralie Fouinat points. It can help us to discover the trigger of a crisis, imperceptible in the heat of the moment, like the sound of a jackhammer in the street which we have not paid attention instantly. “

Other new high-tech educational tool. A humanoid robot This is the experience being conducted at two centers of Autistic association without borders Nao , developed by the company Aldebaran. “He talks, dance, wriggling, but it will never replace an educator, Vanessa insists Coutant, educator at Saint-Vincent-sur-Jard (85). We use it to promote certain learning, along with other reinforcers like trampoline, ball, bubble … “ Achieved Asperger syndrome, Angel, 10, is particularly receptive to this orange and white robot high to a grasshopper. “Behind my PC, I type phrases that Nao say said the coordinator. Physically, there is little evidence to treat, except eyes that light up. With him, Angel is more patient, more motivated, it can hold long conversations. “ His classmate Chloe, 10, performs for its articulatory effort ” hallucinating “ to understands it correctly … and starts the application. A show has even been fitted with neurotypical children, Nao leading the way.

The National Agency is currently funding research prototype software the algorithm will detect the expressiveness of children with autism and their emotions. At school, the use of interactive whiteboard and relevant content also represent a step forward. Many promising leads, provided they do not lock into another world. “These tools allow you to take a walk down the stairs leading to the integration, finds Vanessa Coutant. But the real issue remains the human relationship and interaction with their surroundings. “

The spectrum of autism:

In France, one child in 100 to 150 is born with a pervasive developmental disorder ( Ted), which represents up to 8,000 births per year. The estimated number of people with autism varies from 450 000 to 600 000 people. 40,000 young people under 16 years (77% of autistic children) old enough to go to school do not attend school. Some 37% are welcomed in a medical-educational institute or day hospital with limited educational support, if any. Some would receive over-prescription of neuroleptics and antidepressants, particularly in cases of behavioral disorders. In 2014, only 26,347 students (20% of autistic children) with autism spectrum disorders are educated in mainstream

A third master plan.

Long considered a psychiatric illness, autism would be the current state of research neurological disease of genetic origin with biochemical triggers causing neuronal dysfunction. It alters the recognition of expressions, social and emotional codes, generates emotional hypersensitivity and behavioral disorders. It covers various realities, the lack of verbal language to Asperger syndrome. The third Autism Plan (2013-2017), with 205 million, establishes a framework to promote early diagnosis, from 18 months to support a suitable school in the mainstream, promote inclusion in the workplace and training of professionals.