Wednesday 22 April 2020

Tiimo App for ADHD & Autism scheduling (Ad/Review)

* This is a paid post

A few months ago I was approached to see if I would review a new app called Tiimo which has been designed specifically for families living with autism and ADHD. I was intrigued and interested to find out more, but not sure if I could help because of the nature of the app and our own personal situation.
View of the Tiimo app in the app store

To expand on what I mean by that, Tiimo is an app designed to help families and individuals to schedule daily life and routines, using smart technology on phones, tablets or watches. Since our younger daughter stopped being able to attend school last May, she has had very few regular activities (to the point where there are none currently), and as many families living with Pathological Demand Avoidance will appreciate, it is impossible to impose any kind of fixed regular demands on her. She also doesn't use a smart phone or watch yet... but having now looked into the app in a bit more detail, I can definitely see a point in the future where this would work well for us all.
huge variety of icons for various categories
The app has a lovely look to it, with some brilliant features which you just don't get when using a simple Google calendar.
There are a multitude of icons for pretty much every situation you can imagine - from cycling to computing and gaming to shopping trolleys and baths, and these can be used to schedule activities. If you can't see an icon you like, you can request it via the app.
icons from sports and home working categories

It's really easy to add activities and then decide if they are to repeat daily, or just weekdays, and time can be selected in minute increments - particularly helpful if you have a dentist appointment at 2:35 rather than two thirty for example. Here's an example of a day which I created for us in the app - hands up anyone who thinks their day might look like this too?!
example of daily schedule from within Tiimo app

I like that the app is really simple to use and it could certainly give our daughter a bit more independence as she matures. Parents of younger children could set it up and manage for their children and I could definitely see it being very useful for those who are home educating.

I wanted to give the creators of the app the chance to explain a little bit more about it themselves:

Here’s what you need to know about Tiimo - a smartwatch app for autism and ADHD that can support independence & routine
By Anna Fay Hermanson 

Hey reader! I’m Anna. I’m a mom to a two year old and a four year old, I’m the lead on partnerships and community outreach for Tiimo, and like millions of people, I’m currently one month into self-quarantine. Tiimo is an assistive app and web-platform that was designed to increase the quality of life of people with ADHD and/or autism and their support networks. We’re hearing from people all over the world that the app has helped support lots of folks through the uncertainty of the past few months, so are trying to continue to get the word out about it. Steph has generously agreed to share her space with us to help spread the word about how Tiimo works and hopefully find the people who it might be able to support.


So what is Tiimo exactly? 

Basically, Tiimo is a web calendar and an app that were specifically designed to provide the structure and visual guidance that many people with autism and/or ADHD need to thrive. Tiimo is an alternative to analogue visual tools (like pictograms) that are difficult for some people to use. 


How does Tiimo work? 

Basically, to use Tiimo, you (or a parent, a caregiver, a teacher) enters in things you have to do in a given week along with a visual representation to create activities. It’s easiest to create activities and routines on the web calendar. For some people, using the visual web calendar is enough. For others who may want more active support, the app is ideal. On the app, the visual of the current activity is displayed as it’s happening along with a little note (if you want) and a visual countdown. A lot of our users say that the visual countdown is one of the things that really sets Tiimo apart. When an activity changes, a notification pops up plus sound and/or vibration on a smartphone, and when used with a smartwatch the watch gives an optional sound and/or vibration when an activity is changing. 


What kind of a device do I need? 

You can use the web calendar totally free! To integrate the more active support that the Tiimo app offers, you’ll need an Apple or Android device. Using the web calendar you can easily schedule the coming weeks by copy & pasting activities to create great routines, and see an overview of your week. On smartphones, the Tiimo app offers a daily overview (and the possibility of changing activities on the go), as well as notifications when activities change. 


Designed for joint-use 

Tiimo is designed for co-use between parents/caregivers and children with autism and/or ADHD. Tiimo is the only app for people with ADHD and autism that actually involved families who would become users in the design process (and continues to do so). Our ongoing commitment to user-lead design (e.g. people who actually use the app tell us what needs to change or be developed!) is what sets us apart from other scheduling apps. 


Build routines that work (and reduce conflict) 

A lot of families use Tiimo to build morning and evening routines that work for everyone. What many parents who use the app within their families say is that outsourcing the responsibility of reminders about a daily schedule to something other than the parent themselves simply reduces conflict. Given the exceptional circumstances that a lot of us are living in right now under coronavirus quarantine, Tiimo app can potentially be a support to anyone who’s trying to create a routine for their family that everyone understands. 


Our web platform is always free to use 

What many users love about Tiimo is the flexibility. With Tiimo, users get a platform that is synchronized across devices and provides individuals with the personalizable structure and visual support that they need to thrive. On our web portal - that is designed to give a weekly overview and create routines & is totally free - you can create up to five different calendars. 


Please head over to our website to get to know Tiimo better and create a web account if you’re on desktop or are interested in learning more about how it works! If you are on your smartphone, download the app right here (there’s a thirty day free trial, so we make sure you love it before you pay). Thanks for reading and please feel free to write to us with questions anytime! 


Hope this review helps some - I'd love feedback from anyone who goes on to try this app?



For more information about PDA, please read the book shown below: 
* this is an affiliate link and I may receive a small commission if you click and go on to buy anything. It won't cost you any extra.
Book cover for Understanding pathological demand avoidance syndrome in children, by Phil christie, margaret duncan, zara healy and ruth fidler
(Other PDA books can be found in my 

To find out more about our experiences, please check out our 'About Us' page or the summary of our experience in Our PDA Story Week 35. If you are looking for more online reading about Pathological Demand Avoidance, the posts below may help.


What is PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)?


Ten things you need to know about Pathological Demand Avoidance


Does my child have Pathological Demand Avoidance?


The difference between PDA and ODD


Strategies for PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)


Pathological Demand Avoidance: Strategies for Schools


Challenging Behaviour and PDA


Is Pathological Demand Avoidance real?


Autism with demand avoidance or Pathological Demand Avoidance?




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4 comments:

  1. This sounds great - my son really likes to feel in control of his own schedule.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, think my girl will like it too when she has a bit more on...!

      Delete
  2. How do I get reviews from adults who don't have any support people?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, I'm sorry I don't have any of those but I'd recommend contacting Tiimo direct at hello@tiimo.dk to see if they know of any?

      Delete

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