Supporting Adaptive Responding and Reducing Challenging Behaviors of Children with Rare Genetic Syndromes and Severe to Profound Developmental Disabilities Through Assistive Technology-Based Programs

Children with rare genetic syndromes (e.g., Angelman, Cornelia de Lange, fragile X, Rett) and severe to profound neurodevelopmental and multiple disabilities may experience significant difficulties while dealing with everyday environmental requests. Beside intellectual delays, extensive motor impairments, lack of speech and communication difficulties, they may present sensorial deficits and be unable of an adaptive responding [1, 3]. Furthermore, they can be quite passive and isolated with few opportunities to profitably cope with their environment. In fact, their clinical conditions may have negative outcomes on their quality of life and they constant rely on caregivers and families' assistance [4,5]. Moreover, they can be described with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) traits and be reported with withdrawal, tantrums, and sparse daily social interactions. Due to lack of everyday stimulation they can additionally exhibit challenging behaviors [6, 7].