Local Connections

When I first created this blog, I set up Google alerts for myself focused on the words "autism" and "iPad". This week I was thrilled to open my e-mail and see an article from a local Patch website featured. The Hatboro-Horsham Patch recently wrote an article highlighting Specialized iPad Services, a technology learning lab in Hatboro.

The mother of a son with autism, Karen Velocci opened the learning lab after realizing that there was a great need for technology education in the special needs community. She found that using the iPad was a great motivator for her own son and wanted to teach other parents and students how to harness new technology to allow individuals with autism to communicate.

One of Velocci's clients said that a scary experience with her own son led her to realize the true importance of technology-based communication.

One of Velocci's students, along with her 14-year-old non-verbal son Michael, Kuepper said the interactive approach has helped him to communicate better and learn more. 

"My son has seizures. He had a seizure one day," Kuepper said. "I thought we lost him."

When he woke three hours later, Kuepper said she asked him how he was feeling. He immediately grabbed his iPad, launched Proloquo2Go and went into the "feelings" category.

"He pushed, 'I'm scared,' " Kuepper said. 

The Specialized iPad Services learning lab is definitely a welcome addition to the local community, and I can only hope that parents and students in the area take advantage of their trainings.

The Cost of Communication

One does not have to be the parent or teacher of a child with autism to know that Apple's iPad is not cheap. In fact, for some families it can definitely break the bank. Families caring for children with autism already deal with the costs of specialized childcare, therapies, and adaptive equipment so asking them to shell out an additional $500 or more for an iPad might understandably be met with some resistance. For these kids, talk definitely isn't cheap. In fact, here's a breakdown of costs one might incur in order to get an iPad for their child:

iPad 16G -               $500
Sturdy Case -             $60
Proloquo2Go App - $190
_____________________
Total Cost:               $750

Spending $750 just for a basic iPad setup is not something that most parents can do at the drop of the hat. However, parents and teachers who don't have the available funds to get an iPad for their kids shouldn't give up hope immediately. In fact, there are several different approaches one can try in order to get the device for little or no money out of pocket. In a recent feature from the Autism Support Network, Dawn Sconfienza Gaita provides parents with 5 steps they can take to get their child's iPad costs covered by medical insurance.
She writes:

"1. Check your medical benefits for your “Durable Medical Coverage.”(Mine covered 50%, but since we had already met our out-of-pocket max, they covered at 100%) 

2. Phone your insurance company and ask, “Please assign me to a case manager that is experienced with special needs children.” 

3. After you are provided a case manager, explain that you need the iPad as an augmentative communication device INCLUDING the Proloquo2go App (or TouchChat, OneVoice, TapToTalk, etc.) Provide comparison costs to a more expensive system such as the Dynavox, and remind them that you are opting for a more cost-effective device. Focus on Proloquo2go (or your chosen Aug Comm app) and that it is being introduced by Speech Therapists and OT’s in public schools for special needs kids, as well as in private therapy… say nothing negative at all. If they have never heard of the Proloquo2go program, ask for their email address to send them a link and/or encourage them to visit the proloquo2go website. You could also provide links to the Youtube demonstrations provided by proloquo2go (or app demos provided on a4cwsn.com). Be sure to ask the case manager for all the necessary approval codes and coverage information so you are aware and comfortable with any out-of-pocket expenses you may incur. They may tell you “NO” at this point. If they do, ask them to email or fax you a letter of denial immediately. Local Developmental Disability Divisions/Boards and many private funding organizations will require a medical insurance denial to apply for funds, so getting this letter can be very helpful. Don’t get discouraged, there are still more ways to get funding! 

4. Find supporting documentation and case studies to include with your claim. Google articles on “iPads for children with special needs” or “benefits for children with [your child’s specific condition] and iPads,” etc. 

5. Copy your most recent speech evaluation and IEP if it indicates anything helpful. And, have every doctor, therapist, school personnel or anyone else write a letter supporting your child’s need for an “Augmentative Communication device such as the iPad with Proloquo2go."

 There are many parents out there who have successfully used this avenue to obtain an iPad with an augmentative communication application. Sometimes, though, insurance companies can give you the run-around and get tricky about what they will and will not cover. Don't give up! The bloggers over at WonderBaby have a list of great suggestions you can use to get that iPad for your kid. They include"

"-Ask your school district - If you feel that your child would greatly benefit from the use of an iPad in school, then these are the people who should be funding the purchase. Of course, the iPad would then be technically school property so you'll want to make sure that they will allow your child to use the iPad outside of the classroom, but that can usually be arranged (many schools send classroom laptops home with students and this would be a similar arrangement).

-Apply for a grant - There are many places that specialize in getting funds to children who need them

-Contact local charities - Local charities are often very happy to help children in their community. Contacting nearby charities can be difficult (first you have to figure out which organizations are in your area and then figure out how to contact them), but often they are more receptive than the big national organizations.

-Do some fundraising - You could begin simply by asking family members to give birthday and holiday gifts in the form of iTunes and Apple gift cards (remember, the Apple card can buy the iPad and the iTunes card can buy apps, but they don't transfer—in other words, you can't buy an iPad with an iTunes gift card)."

iPads may be expensive, but they can be a real investment in your child's future. After all, the functional independence that this kind of communication can provide might be just what your child needs to be successful in their everyday life. It might be a struggle, but there are definitely ways to cut costs and get that device covered partially or fully.