Veteran’s Day – ASD Children’s Need for Gameplay

US veterans and active military with autistic children often wonder about two issues:

1. Do families with ASD children have increased stress?
2. Are additional therapies needed for such families?

The extent of veterans’ stress and depression is well known. Over 500,000 have PTSD (according to a RAND study), and hundreds of thousands have problems with dependency for drugs or alcohol. Articles on veterans’ stress usually focus on combat or similar conditions as being the sole cause, and do not consider additional challenges from special-needs family members.

To address the first question, a recent test published in the Journal of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders found that almost one out of five (18.6%) of non-military families with ASD children met the criteria for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The incidence was especially high for parents whose kids displayed physical aggression or self-harm. This test was for hundreds of civilian families without the added problems of miliary families due to combat trauma, constantly moving, and lack of available ASD treatment in the military healthcare system. Military families also have the recent burden of losing access—one out of five families can no longer get school-based ASD therapy, according to the Association of Defense Communities (ADC).

The incidence of extreme stress among military families with ASD kids is highlighted by an unusual requirement for funding and access for the primary treatment for such children. This remedy, known as ABA or Applied Behavioral Analysis, is an intervention treatment that uses operant conditioning—praise and rewards for desired behavior, and occasional negative responses for undesirable behavior. It is delivered by a mental health expert several times a week for months or years. To be eligible, families must submit a “Stress Assessment,” a measure by a standardized test such as the Parenting Stress Index. This test is not required for any other type of treatment. It presumably identifies especially high levels of parental stress for ASD cases, as treatment resources are overburdened. It must be repeated every six months.

One can conclude that the stress levels for families with ASD heaped on top of the stress of military families suffering from battle trauma and scarcity of mental healthcare can readily become critical.

For the second question, the existing primary ASD treatment, ABA, has had criticism with its strict focus on its rewards and punishments to change behaviors, and a lack of nourishing vital inner needs of children. A search is on for more supportive treatments.

One such vital need that ABA does not support is gameplay. Recent research emphasizes that gameplay is not just entertainment, but is vital for brain and mental health development. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states, “It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them. Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles, sometimes in conjunction with other children or adult caregivers.” AAP studies indicate that play is crucial in all areas for children, including the development of language, social awareness, and emotional intelligence. On its website it states that at the very minimum, a child should have 30 minutes of guided play each day, and at least one hour of free playtime.

Unfortunately, ASD children tend to lack the ability to play; in fact, a lack of playfulness can be a predictor of ASD at an early age. They need availability and guidance for gameplay, especially exploratory and social playing. It is interesting to note that professional dog trainers also support extensive gameplay, rather than nonstop training, especially for shy or aggressive animals that are hesitant to start such interactions. Gameplay should be not only fun and stimulating, but also introduce challenges (to develop what researchers call a child’s “locus of control”) and support the ability to give and read social cues with others (also known as “framing”).

iQsonics, based in Santa Monica, California, provides this vital ingredient of gameplay for autistic children with its Sing and Speak 4 Kids musical learning games, using videogame techniques that help parents guide and encourage gameplay for their ASD children. Music, colorful game characters, and compelling motivational goals result in laughter, learning vocabulary, meeting challenges, and an increased willingness to interact with the outside world. And, this opportunity is readily available to parents. Without the need for any Stress Assessments.