Mum designs app to ease routines for autistic son
by Kevin Hay – BBC News, South West
The mother of an autistic boy in Devon has created an app that aims to take the stress out of everyday activities.
Rachael Malthouse, who lives in Tavistock, came up with the idea as she struggled to get her son James ready for school in the mornings.
The 11-year-old found getting dressed and brushing teeth could be overwhelming, she said.
Ms Malthouse, who is doing a PHD at the University of Plymouth, said the app – Jam Up! – worked by making daily tasks into a game guided by a cartoon pet.
She said: “He finds those tasks uncomfortable and frustrating. It’s difficult for him to get started.
“I thought maybe there could be an app or a tool that could help us manage our lives a bit more easily.
“But when I looked there was nothing that was really catering for autistic children to manage these things.”
James did not want to be interviewed, but his 12-year-old friend Finley, who is also autistic and helped Ms Malthouse design the app, was happy to talk about how it works.
Ms Malthouse said: “You can structure how you are going to get dressed, what item of clothing you are going to put on first.
“Then it gives you a timer and you can aim to try and get that item of clothing on in the time that you have set.”
Asked if the element of structure was important, Finley nodded in agreement.
He said: “Yes, if there isn’t any structure then I feel anxious.”
Ms Malthouse said: “On a good day you can give him the app and he can get dressed and clean his teeth on his own.
“On a day when he is finding things a bit more tricky, I can help him. But he has got the animated pet telling him what to do, rather than having me nagging him, which reduces some of the stress and friction we were having before.”
The National Autistic Society said it welcomed any initiative that helped support families with everyday tasks, as long as it was done in an encouraging and positive way.
The app is due to be launched to the public later this week.
