Could you imagine lugging a binder of notes everywhere your child went? For parents of kids with autism, that binder is all too real. But now, this "journal" can fit in your pocket, thanks to Ben Chutz and his girlfriend, Dani Gillman.
Birdhouse for Autism
The couple grew frustrated over the lack of resources to help Gillman's daughter, 9, who has autism. So they created Birdhouse for Autism – a website and phone app that's headquartered in Detroit and lets parents keep track of their child's day.
"Our children can't always tell us how they are feeling or what is going on," Chutz says. "Birdhouse allows a parent to quickly and easily take the information of the child." The app is designed to be simple enough for even the busiest parent.
"Take the phone out of your pocket. You choose what child you want to add or care for, and then post a new activity," says Chutz. It features eight categories to log: sleep, moods, medications, therapies, meltdowns, poop, food and general texts. Parents can also add spouses, teachers and therapists, and all posts can be traced back to the person who logged them.
"There's so much difficulty that comes with autism," Chutz says, "and we want to help the autism community thrive."
