Kids with autism spectrum disorders often lack skills that let them engage socially with parents or peers. A new app from Samsung hopes to help with one possible contributor to that problem: an inability in some kids to make eye contact and recognize faces. Look At Me presents kids with games that involve placing, remembering and imitating faces and expressions, and rewards them for their participation with more games and characters to play with. The app was developed in collaboration with experts in the field, and Samsung says that, according to parents, 60 percent of the kids they tested it with improved on making eye contact. Look At Me is free, but right now only works with Samsung Galaxy phones.
Of course, such an app may or may not be a good match for your child, so be sure to check with a doctor before embarking on any intense face-recognition missions. More apps are available to help kids on the spectrum engage with others, learn neglected skills, and so on. In fact, there's an app that tracks such apps, so that might be a good place to start.
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