A new study reveals that the technological advances geared towards the needs of the elderly could also be utilized by children and young adults who suffer from autism or ADHD, according to Science Daily. These technologies include the smart watch or a calendar that can be installed in the person's gadgets such as a mobile phone, or tablet. In doing so, the said patients could overcome the struggle of keeping up with appointments and remembering errands - issues that have long plagued the people afflicted by this condition.
SINTEF, the largest independent research organization in Scandinavia, is the firm behind the said study. In the research, the authors referred to such advancement as "welfare technology." Researcher Øystein Dale shared that the study sought the cooperation of three families which reached a total of four children. While Dale acknowledged the difficulties in using the said technology, he asserted that such advancements could contribute to the improvement of the lives of autism or ADHD patients.
He said, "Our experience is that it takes time to set the systems up and that using them can sometimes be difficult." Dale added, "But we can also claim that these are aids that can be of benefit to these groups."
Apart from the patients themselves, Dale explained that utilizing smart watches and calendars, which will make use of pictures, text and sound as reminders, can not only assist the persons afflicted by the aforementioned conditions but also help the people around them especially their family members.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, patients with ADHD can exhibit symptoms such as "difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity)." Meanwhile, National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke described autism patients to suffer from "social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior."
"We believe that our knowledge about how technology can be applied may enable children to function better in their day-to-day lives, both at school and in other social situations," elucidated Dale in his SINTEF study. He shared that the use of welfare technology in assisting ADHD or autism patients can "contribute towards enhancing their quality of life, and that of their families."
The researcher went on to explain that the road towards the achievement of this goal, which is to integrate the gadgets in the lives of ADHD or autism patients successfully, requires "effective guidance and facilitation." Dale explained that there is a necessity for "close supervision by professionals over time."
While the process may appear to be tedious and slow, the study author highlighted a positive aspect. "The positive aspect here is that these days children probably own and use tablets and similar technologies all the time, and are curious and eager to try new ones out," Dale said.
