Vanessa' Blog - January: video games and ASD

A lot of young people with autism are very attracted to video games and screen-based culture. This can be a very useful interest, as we can teach new ideas through games or use time on the computer/tablet as a reward. However, some children can be easily influenced by things they see on the screen and struggle to understand the difference between a game world and real life. For these young people we need to be really careful about the computer games we allow them to access…but how can you tell if a computer game is suitable for your young person?

PEGI ratings

All video and console games are labelled with Pan-European Game Information (PEGI). PEGI logos indicate whether the content of a game is appropriate for children from a certain age. For example, a PEGI rated 7 game is appropriate for an average seven-year old. However, some of our young people with autism are not ready for the same information at the same age as ‘the average child’. The PEGI rating is a good starting point, but you may wish to add on an extra couple of years when thinking about your young person. These ratings are based on the suitability of the content, not the difficulty, so you will also need to consider factors like how much reading is involved.

Most computer or console games also come with a content descriptor. These allow you to look out for particular triggers or things you want to avoid, like swearing.

General gaming tips

• Video games can be very addictive; set time limits on screen time and when in the day they can have this time e.g. after school. For some children it is an effective motivator to set this time quite low, but give them the chance to earn extra minutes.
• Be wary of games which allow young people to play together over the internet. This may be ok if they are only able to connect with other people they know (via something like a friends list), but some games allow free public access to speak to anyone else on the game. Some of these people may not be who/what they claim to be!
• Some games have in-app purchases, particularly those on phones or tablets. This means that real-life money can be used to buy extra lives or unlock aspects of the game. It is usually a very easy click to do this, so it may be a good idea to turn this facility off, or make sure that you don’t have your credit or bank details attached to your gaming/app store account.
• Test the game yourself first. If in doubt, play alongside your young person. It will allow you to keep an eye on what they are doing and will also give the opportunity for quality time sharing something fun!