Development and evaluation of a speech-generating AAC mobile app for minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder in Mainland China.

BACKGROUND: Mobile touchscreen devices are currently being used as speech-generating devices (SGDs) and have been shown to promote the communication skills, particularly the requesting skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have limited spoken language. However, no augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) mobile app has been developed and evaluated in the Chinese language in Mainland China. METHODS: We developed an AAC mobile app, which is the first in Mainland China, to our knowledge, named Yuudee (Chinese name (xiaoyudi)). Yuudee was developed using the Objective-C and Java programming languages. A five-phase training protocol for making requests using Yuudee was developed based on the Picture Exchange Communication System. We trained ten minimally verbal children with ASD to make requests using Yuudee and evaluated the effectiveness of the training. RESULTS: Yuudee has a built-in library of over 400 pictures with corresponding spoken phrases that are divided into 39 categories ranging from making simple requests to expressing emotions. An additional important feature of Yuudee is its customization functions that allow a parent or trainer to easily select pictures and phrases to display, create new pictures and phrases, and change the layouts and orders of the pictures to fit the personal needs of each child. Yuudee is freely available in an iOS version from the iTunes App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/cn/app/xiao-yu-di/id794832934?mt=8) and in an Android version from Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.supersuperstar.yuudee.vue) and domestic Chinese Android App stores. Three consecutive unprompted successful responses, which were defined as an initial training success, were achieved in at least three of the five phases for all ten of the evaluated children. The accuracy rate of a given phase was calculated for each child who achieved three consecutive unprompted successful responses in the phase. Seven children achieved at least 50% accuracy in at least two of the five phases. The other three children achieved at least 50% accuracy in only one phase. Two children achieved at least 50% accuracy in all of the phases in which they were trained. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that Yuudee is a useful tool for helping minimally verbal children with ASD make requests.

The physical status of children with autism in China.

The height, weight and BMI of children with autism was investigated and analyzed to find the physical status of children with autism in China. Three hundred and eighty boys and 49 girls diagnosed with autistic disorder participated. Their parents were interviewed with a questionnaire about general information, and children were evaluated with Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and height and weight were measured. Children with autism had high level height, weight and BMI; the rate of height >or=P(75) was less in 6-11 years old group than that in 2-5 years old group in boys and all children. The prevalence of at-risk-for or being overweight was 31.8% and 17.0% in 2-5 years old group, were 37.9% and 21.8% in 6-11 years old group. At-risk-for-overweight/overweight of children with autism had no relationship with their core symptoms, the older age was the only predictor for lower height and at-risk-for-overweight. Prevalence of at-risk-for-overweight and overweight in children with autism was high. Children's height level decreased, and being at-risk-for-overweight increased with age.