My autistic child has to learn how to navigate the internet. What should I do to help him?
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If you’re raising a child with autism, you know that some skills don’t come as easily to them. And being an older mom who didn’t grow up with the internet, I worry about how my autistic son will navigate the online world. I don’t know much about the digital world, but I know that the internet is a valuable tool that can help my son express himself, learn social skills, and even stay organized. But my worry is about how strong a pull the kid videos and fun game apps can have on children. Will he be more likely to spend too much time on digital devices, especially with how he focuses too much on something and repeats tasks? How do I ensure introducing him to the internet won’t make him miss out on chances for socializing, creative play, or even exercises?     
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Answers (2)
Best answer chosen by asker
I think depending on whether your son is low-functioning autistic or not will depend on what will work best. If you're worried about him over-indulging in his screen time activity and playing too many video games on his devices, then it may be worthwhile to get him some sensory toys to redirect his behavior.
Though I don't have an ASD child, my best friend's son is autistic and he has a tendency to do the same thing over and over and over again. Your son may enjoy a few strategy games on an iPad or like-device to help him learn how to problem solve quickly.
I know that this whole screen-time-crazy generation can be very scary. But, I promise you that as long as you can give him a little extra supervision and set limits with his screen time activity, you should be able to give him a good amount of fun time. exercise time, and playtime.
Best of luck!
Heather
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Best answer chosen by asker
The downside of all of this is that your son's school and teachers will be very limited in being able to help him with this. Unless your son is going to a special public or private school that has advanced training in ASD children, I wouldn't expect that the school administration and staff are trained in handling ASD children. With all the technology that is used in classrooms these days, your son may need extra supervision when using devices.
I am sure that there are will be educational exercises that your son will really enjoy completing in class but if things tend to get out of hand at home with over-stimulation or he's over his screen time limit, I would do my best to try and redirect him in the best way that you can.
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