One of the greatest things about being me is having joined the ranks of breeder which means no matter what happens there will be a part of me that will live on for eternity. But sometimes fate throws you a curveball that you have a hard time dealing with. You see, while I have one boy that is perfectly normal and will take over the family business of evil and mayhem, my younger son is something that I never expected. He was born with three major disorders. First he is autistic, but not in the "Rainman" style. Oh no, the divine powers wouldn't be so kind to me. His autism makes it so he cannot speak and he can't understand all that much of what is spoken to him. He has a form of the "super baby" syndrome where the brain doesn't tell the muscles to stop growing so at 5 years old he is ripped like Jesus. And finally he has Destructive Behavior Disorder which is wonderful during the few rare times it can be focused against an enemy, but not so nice when it is focused on the curtains.
While everyone here save him is addicted to video games, my youngest boy is at a loss when it comes to them and you can tell he knows he is missing out on something great just by the soulful look he can give when you are wrapped up in a good fight or intense storyline. Especially when you scream at him to piss off because you aren't ready to get him the dried cherries he is craving because you haven't wiped out General Knoxx yet. Curse those damned medics! But then, when I was just boredly searching for something useful to write here, I found something that I had never thought would be possible to find. Video games are now able to help children like mine while letting them experience the fun that until now only people with normal brains could find pleasure in. And it was my xbox and the vile, manipulating Kinect, (which I am still in a battle with, but I'm getting the upper hand finally) that is making it all come true.
Now some of my more nerdy minions would want to say to me "But Sephris, they have had programs for special needs children on the IPad for years." And if you do say that to me I will have to set you on fire. And yes, there are helpful programs to do things like help them communicate when they cannot talk. But that is so...educational. And what 5 year old really gives a damn about his S.A.T.s at this point, hmmm? Yes, you hadn't thought of that. This is why I am taking over the world. I know all. And I know now that what the XBox/kinect duo can do is just scraping the surface of something that in the future will be considered standard therapy for every child with mental disabilities.
I watched a video that showed a special education teacher using the Kinect and its ability to track various parts of the body to help a child who was lost within his own mind become focused for the first time on something outside of his own little world. I saw another boy who had no coordination between the two halves of his body get up and dance to music. I saw a little girl with the same communication issue as my son has speak her very first word. And most of you will just think, "well, that's pretty cool, Sephris." But when you have spent every day with your child hoping beyond hope that they will say something, anything, even if it is something profane to a nun and it has never, ever happened, the thought that there may be a glimmer of possibility can take even the coldest heart and turn it into a blubbering mass of tears. And it did.
When I was a boy in school there was a small handful of mentally handicapped children in a tiny classroom. I fondly remember standing at the doorway beyond the teacher's field of view, waving a candy bar before slowly taking a bite out of it so they would all fly into an uncontrollable fit of flailing arms and walrus voices. Now the problem has grown so large that whole schools are dedicated to them. What was once a one in one thousand children disorder is now down to about one in five. For disorders like Autism with the broadness of symptoms it can bring, finding any help for your special needs child is nearly impossible. The government will happily throw money at you to deal with the problem so they don't have to, but otherwise you are on your own and completely inexperienced. Time is the only thing being kind to you, and time takes time.
So it was with great amazement that it wasn't from the journals of psychiatrists or brain doctors that a real breakthrough was made. It was through interactive video games such as Your Shape, a workout game for Kinect. There is something about video games that grabs their little, screwed up brains and wakes it up, so to speak, and at least for a short time helps them to be an active part of the world around them. When that happens a great big world of possibilities for help and healing open up to them. They begin to notice that someone is out there WANTING to draw them out, and feeling wanted they respond in kind. It isn't anything big to someone who isn't in the situation, but to my wife and I it was the first light at a very long and dark tunnel that we had seen. And it was beautiful.
The sad thing about all of this is that it is mostly overlooked by the very people who claim they want to help these kids, because of this there isn't much funding being put into the advancement of the technology. Microsoft is doing their part to be a leader in the field, but they can't do it by themselves. With mental disabilities striking humanity like the plague, one would think this kind of breakthrough would be one of the biggest stories talked about. But it's not. It only took one trip to my son's classroom during a "parent day" for me to understand why. I saw children with issues like my son come in with their parents and these kids were a wreck. They were dirty and their noses were drippy and food clung to their faces and clothing. It was an atrocity. As evil as I am, I take care of my spawn regardless of what ails they have. These parents seemed to have given up on their children. We were in the classroom to talk about how to make the lives better for the kids and all they cared about was Obamacare and Romneytax. Then I realized what true evil was. It was turning off your ability to care for someone who desperately needs it because you don't know how to give it.
Thankfully there are some very wonderful people who are using the video game medium to change all of that. They are bringing miracles to parents daily through this medium. So I have made it my personal mission to be the voice of those who do not even know the words and to scream to all of you to help bring the dawn of this technology high in the sky so every child can feel it's warmth. Bring praise to companies like Microsoft that have taken the bold first steps and let them know just how great a tool they have created. Because a video game can bring hours and hours of great entertainment...and now it can bring life and happiness to families like mine. It would be a crime to let something like this just fall back into the cracks of society once more.
(PS. This is a true story. The boy in the pic I provided is my special little guy. I can't imagine life without him, regardless of what problems he may have.)
Alone in the Dark developer Pieces Interactive has been hit with layoffs a month after its release, as per the latest information.
That genuinely, genuinely sucks. The reboot has clear flaws, but it really felt like a solid first step for this team to receive *greater* investment.
Venturing into a post-apocalyptic world, Bandai Namco resurrects the forgotten treasure, Sand Land: will it capture the magic of the Manga?
I enjoyed the demo so I'll be picking this up. The gameplay made me think of Metal Max Xeno so it sold me on it.
After the release of the horrid avatar update, Pokémon GO fans are trying to get items refunded. This has led to some getting threats of being banned.
For those that are interested, there is a really good article about it here: http://www.geekwire.com/201...
Very touching and real there Sephris. I can kind of relate; I have a paraplegic friend who can barely use his hands and has been bedridden for over a year. Normally he can still go and do things in his wheelchair but since being bedridden one of his only joys has been video games. He woops me up on his retro duo.
Having been physically disabled since birth, I know firsthand the joy that gaming can bring to the disabled. There aren't words to describe the sense of 'freedom' I get when I'm playing a game like 'Assassin's Creed,' and guiding Altair to do physical feats I can't, and will never, be able to do - even something as simple as walking unaided down a corridor. Sometimes it's simply a great to escape from the realities of life for a while.
Gaming in childhood also helped me develop my hand-eye coordination to a level which I might not have achieved otherwise.
All the best to you and your family.
Very touching blog.
We live in a fascinating digital age that enriches all our lives and allows everyone the opportunity to realise their potential. Technology is helping to break down barriers and social stigmas, but I agree that it's perhaps not celebrated/utilised as much as it should be.
Props to you and the little guy.
Sephris,
My 5 year old has AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER and a few of the typical associated diagnoses like the Hyper disorders. I am a single father of 3 boys... 8, 5, 4. My Autistic boy has been taking medicine to slow his heart rate down in order to control his insatiable desire to just keep going and going into the wee hours of the night. It has become much better over last year.
There is something amazing about the connection of their special minds and technology. Especially devices like Kinect not to discount the others. My boy shares the same incredible awaking from the same types of sources. The growth and rewiring taking place since he discovered his passion for games and technology devices is absolutely incredible. Not even the professionally trained help my son receives can even begin to compare to the kind of awakening and rewiring that technology has given him.
Bless you and yours. God speed to your son and family.
Thank you sincerely!