App Recommendations
Technology can be especially beneficial for children with NF1 who may struggle with fine motor, organizational and behavioral skills. St. Louis Children’s Hospital occupational therapist, Nicole Weckherlin, OTR/L, specializes in using technology to supplement traditional occupational therapy.
The following is a list of links to recommendations for apps which address specific developmental skills.*
Additional resources for recommendations
Aside from our app recommendations for children with NF1, the following sites are good resources for additional app information and recommendations.
Select app tutorials
Learn to use some of our recommended apps with the following brief app tutorials.
Used in conjunction with iAnnotate, this app allows you to turn a child’s homework assignment into a fillable PDF so the child can type his or her assignment rather than handwriting the assignment. This app requires a camera. View a video on using Jot Not Scanner Pro and iAnnotate together.
Step 1: Take a picture of a child’s homework assignment/worksheet
Step 2: Press USE
Step 3: Drag corners so the whole worksheet is visible in the box
Step 4: Press PROCESS
Step 5: Select second icon on bottom (arrow in box)
Step 6: Press OPEN IN
Step 7: Press iANNOTATE PDF (this will prompt iAnnotate to open and you will see the document in it)
You can use iAnnotate to modify a document using the icons: highlighter, pencil, typewriter, etc. Sometimes the highlighter does not work on scanned items. It always works on emailed items.
To open an emailed document in iAnnotate:
Step 1: Click on the document to open
Step 2: Press the icon in the upper right corner (arrow in box). If the icon has disappeared, click anywhere on the document to make it reappear
Step 3: Press OPEN IN
Step 4: Press iANNOTATE PDF
This is Microsoft Office Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
To open an emailed document in Office 2 HD:
Step 1: Click on the document to open
Step 2: Press the icon in the upper right corner (arrow in box)
Step 3: Press OPEN IN
Step 4: Press OFFICE 2 HD
This app allows you to dictate text. It requires wi-fi.
To open and emailed document in SpeakText to Me:
Step 1: Click the document to open
Step 2: Press the icon in the upper right corner (arrow in box)
Step 3: Press OPEN IN
Step 4: Press SPEAKTEXT TO ME
To begin dictation:
Step 1: Press SPEAK in upper right hand corner
Step 2: Press SPEAK FROM START TO END
iPad accessories
iPads are amazing tools to assist children with NF1 in overcoming academic, behavioral and fine motor challenges. Be sure to protect and make the most of your device with the following iPad accessories and protective cases.
*At this time, apps for NF1 are for Apple devices, however, those same apps may be available in the Android Store or other markets. The Washington University NF Center does not endorse any particular platform, but our therapists have the most experience with Apple products and apps. If you are looking for specific Android App recommendations, we suggest you try this list of free Android apps for children with special needs.
