Apple iPad Helps Disabled New York Boy Communicate and Learn

November 10, 2010 - New York - Unable to speak and reliant on a respirator, Owen Cain is finally able to communicate with his mother thanks to a 1.5-pound tablet.

Since its release earlier this year, the Apple iPad has consistently made headlines as users find new and innovative uses for the touch-screen tablet PC. The New York Times recently reported on one such user, Owen, who for the first time in his short 7-year life, is able to read books, make music and tell his mother he wanted to be Han Solo for Halloween.

When a nurse left her iPad within Owen's reach, he was able to stretch out a finger and start a music and art application. Owen's parents had attempted other computer assistive devices, but the iPad was the first that Owen was able to command immediately and pick up on quickly.

Since the first interaction, Owen's grandmother purchased him his own iPad and now he uses it to read books, create music and type messages to his family. His condition, spinal muscular atrophy type 1, has robbed him of most of his motor functions and left him extremely sensitive to infection. He has a sharp mind and even without the ability to speak, he has picked up on reading, writing and math skills.

The iPad has shown to be of great assistance to patients who suffer from other disabilities, both physical and mental. Christopher Bulger, a 16-year-old Chicago teen who suffered a spinal cord injury, had his hands clenched into fists during early stages of his rehabilitation. The ease of use with the iPad allowed him to surf the Internet by pressing his knuckles to the screen.

There are other benefits to the iPad for disability assistance, as the device has native accessibility tools. Out of the box, the iPad has functionality for closed-captioning, screen magnification and text-to-speech audible readout functions. There is also a growing list of assistive applications available in the iTunes app store, as well as educational and training apps that can help with rehabilitation and therapy.

Contacting a New York Disability Lawyer 

Before you hire a New York disability lawyer, order this free consumer's guide: 5 Mistakes to Avoid when Filing a Social Security Disability Claim, to give you an idea of the Social Security disability claims process. Contact a New York disability lawyer at Decker, Decker, Dito & Internicola for more information about your case - 1-800-976-4904.