Connect with others who understand.

  • Learn from expert-reviewed resources
  • Real advice from people who’ve been there
  • People who understand what you’re going through
Sign Up Log In
Powered By
Real members of MyAutismTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.
A MyAutismTeam Member asked a question 💭
Belfast, UK
January 15, 2018
 · 
Be the first to react

Answer Summary

Members offered practical guidance to help a parent whose son struggles with the fine motor skills needed for touchscreen devices, suggesting... Read more

Members offered practical guidance to help a parent whose son struggles with the fine motor skills needed for touchscreen devices, suggesting alternative tools like joystick and keyboard attachments for tablets, as well as beginner-friendly devices from LeapFrog and VTech that use buttons instead of touchscreens. Several members shared encouragement based on their own experiences, describing how children with similar challenges eventually mastered swiping and tapping through patient hand-over-hand practice and sensory apps like ones featuring fish and bubbles that respond to touch. A recurring theme was balancing technology with traditional fine motor skill-building activities like play-doh, Lego, and page-turning, while meeting each child where they are and following their interests and comfort level.

A MyAutismTeam Member

They also have cool sensory apps two my son tried and loved where bubbles and fish followed his finger.
.it's how he learned the touchscreen. I think one is just called sensory fish.

January 15, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

It may sound old fashioned, but I didn't let my kids go anywhere near an ipad or phone until they were reading books and learned how to use knife and fork! Ethan has fine motor skill issues, so things like play-doh, lego, anything that forces him to use his hands. Even turning the pages of a book is a good skill for very young kids, I wouldn't underestimate that. And they are still not allowed to use my phone, by the way.. .

January 15, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Just like Stephen @A MyAutismTeam Member, he will get it because it's a 'desire'. Stephen used to be the same way, struggling with using His Tablet device, but He just kept a it and now 'Swipes' with the best of them. Stephen started with using almost all of His fingers, then He started using 3 fingers, then 2, and Finally a Single finger. He knows how to enlarge screens sizes, shrink them, swipe them left or right, replay videos and select new videos. Of course your son will be frustrated, just keep working with him 'Hand-Over-Hand' and he will eventually understand.
Keep up the good work.

January 15, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

They have joysticks and keyboard attachments for tablets look it up on Amazon. Also leap frog and vtech make some good stuff.

January 15, 2018 (edited)
A MyAutismTeam Member

Leapfrog, or whatever is comfortable......

January 28, 2018

Related Questions

View All
A MyAutismTeam Member asked a question 💭

MyAutismTeam asked a question 💭
San Francisco, CA