Archive A Parent’s Guide to Online Safety for Autistic Kids

Online Autism Safety Guidelines for Parents

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Autism, a complex neurodevelopmental condition, significantly shapes how individuals interact with the world. Challenges in communication, social engagement, and behavior are common among those with autism, underscoring the spectrum’s diverse nature. As we explore the impact of autism on children’s technology use, it’s essential to understand the specific ways in which this condition influences their digital experiences and how we can ensure autism safety throughout the digital world.

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How Autism Influences Children’s Relationship With Technology

The impact of autism on a child’s interaction with technology can vary widely depending on the child’s individual strengths and challenges. Here are some general ways in which autism might influence a child’s relationship with technology:

  1. Intense Interests: Children with autism often develop intense interests in specific topics. Technology may provide a platform for them to explore and engage with these interests. For example, a child with autism might immerse themselves in learning about computers, video games, or other technological subjects.
  2. Communication Tools: Technology can serve as a valuable communication tool for how to connect with autistic children, especially for those who experience challenges in verbal communication. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, speech-generating devices, or communication apps on tablets can help facilitate communication for nonverbal or minimally verbal children.
  3. Visual Learning: Many children with autism are visual learners, and technology often provides visual aids and supports. Educational apps, videos, and interactive software can be effective tools for teaching and reinforcing various skills.
  4. Routine and Predictability: Children with autism may benefit from routines and predictability. Technology can be used to create visual schedules or timers, helping the child understand and anticipate daily activities.
  5. Sensory Considerations: Some children with autism have sensory sensitivities, and technology can be adapted to accommodate these sensitivities. For example, adjusting screen brightness, using headphones to control sound levels, or selecting apps with calming visuals can make the technology experience more comfortable.

 

Parent monitoring and playing with autistic child

 

Online Risks for Autistic Children

Autistic children, like all children, may face specific online risks that can impact their well-being and safety. Some of these risks include:

  1. Limited Understanding of Online Safety: Autistic children may have difficulty understanding and navigating the complex rules of online interactions. They might not fully grasp concepts such as privacy, sharing personal information, or recognizing potential online threats.
  2. Social Vulnerability: Children with autism often face challenges in social interactions, and the online world presents new social dynamics. They may be more susceptible to online bullying, manipulation, or exploitation due to difficulties in interpreting social cues and intentions.
  3. Over-engagement or Addiction: Some autistic children may develop intense interests in specific online activities or games. While these interests can be positive, excessive engagement may lead to challenges in managing screen time and can potentially interfere with other important activities. Though anybody can be addicted to their phone, autism and phone addiction can easily go hand-in-hand.
  4. Difficulty Discerning Trustworthiness: Autistic children may struggle to discern the trustworthiness of online information or people. They may be more vulnerable to online scams, misinformation, or interactions with strangers who may not have their best interests in mind. This is especially dangerous for autistic children on social media. Autistic children may be more sensitive to the consequences of cyberbullying.
  5. Sensory Overload: Online environments can be visually and auditorily stimulating, potentially leading to sensory overload for some autistic children. This overload may contribute to stress and anxiety.
  6. Privacy Concerns: Autistic children might not fully understand the importance of keeping personal information private online. They may inadvertently share sensitive information, leading to privacy concerns.

 

Strategies for Autism Safety Online

To mitigate these risks and promote a positive online experience for autistic children, consider the following strategies to ensure autism safety:

  1. Education and Communication: Provide clear and simple explanations about online safety, privacy, and appropriate online behavior. Use visual aids or social stories to reinforce these concepts.
  2. Supervision and Monitoring: Regularly monitor your child’s online activities and maintain open communication. Use parental controls and privacy settings to limit exposure to inappropriate content.
  3. Establishing Boundaries: Set clear rules for screen time and online activities. Help your child understand when and how to use technology appropriately. You can use a parental control app like Safes to maintain boundaries and monitor your child’s online activities easily. For example, with Safes, you can limit your child’s screen time while also keeping track of their location in real-time and filter inappropriate websites on their device. These are just to name a few of the features provided by Safes.
  4. Building Social Skills: Incorporate social skills training both online and offline to help your child navigate social interactions more effectively.
  5. Encouraging Balanced Activities: Encourage a balance between online and offline activities, including socializing, physical activities, and other interests.
  6. Creating a Safe Online Environment: Ensure that the websites, apps, and games your child uses are age-appropriate and safe. Consider using educational and therapeutic apps designed for children with autism. You can also use autism safety products.

 

Conclusion

In addressing the potential online risks for autistic children, practical strategies come to the forefront. From educating and supervising to setting boundaries, these steps empower parents and caregivers to ensure a safe online environment. One solution was using a parental control app like Safes which you can download right now on iOS and Android. Striking a balance between technology use and other activities, alongside a focus on social skills and age-appropriate content, forms the foundation for a positive online experience for children with autism. Sign up for a free trial with Safes to access specialized safety tools and resources for autism.

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Download Safes Kids for Chrombook

  1. Install the Safes Kids app on your Chromebook from Google Play. 
  2. Pair Safes Kids with parent app. Follow the instructions in the app to pair your child’s device with your parent device.  
  3. Add the Safe Kids Chrome extension. Open Chrome and go to the Chrome Web Store. 
  4. Navigate to the Manage extensions page. Click the three dots in the top right corner of Chrome and select “Extensions”>”Manage Extensions”>”Details”
  5. Turn on “Allow in incognito mode” This will allow the Safe Kids extension to work in incognito mode, which is important if your child uses incognito mode to try to bypass the parental controls.
  6. Select Safes extension and follow on-screen instruction

Download Safes Kids for Android

Download the Android Kid’s app directly to get the full features!

Download Safes Kids App on Play Store

Download Safes Kids App on Safes.so

Safe Kids is available on the Google Play Store, but if you download it directly from our website, you will get access to Call and SMS monitoring feature, You can monitor the phone calls of your child’s device, as well as the contacts and messages they have sent and received, including those containing inappropriate content.