Training in the Therapeutic Use of Digital Games in Medical Settings
Integrating serious games and adapted applications in supporting autistic individuals
The rise of digital technologies is profoundly transforming the support practices for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Therapeutic digital games, or serious games, are now scientifically validated tools to stimulate cognitive functions, promote social learning, and improve the quality of life for patients. For healthcare professionals working in medical settings, training in the use of these tools has become essential to provide modern, effective, and engaging support. This article explores the available training, the skills to acquire, and the best practices for integrating therapeutic digital games into your clinical practice.
improvement in patient engagement with digital tools
of institutions integrate serious games
satisfaction of trained professionals
The Therapeutic Potential of Digital Games for Autism
Therapeutic digital games represent a revolution in supporting autistic individuals. Unlike traditional tools, they offer a controlled, predictable, and highly motivating environment that perfectly matches the specific needs of this population. The digital interface eliminates many sources of social stress while allowing intensive work on targeted skills.
Scientific research has demonstrated the effectiveness of digital interventions in several key areas. Recent studies confirm significant improvements in visual information processing, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and emotional recognition skills. These encouraging results can be explained by the intrinsic characteristics of digital games: repetition without fatigue, immediate feedback, adaptation to the user's level, and the possibility of advanced customization.
🧠 Cognitive Stimulation
Exercises targeting memory, attention, executive functions, and logical reasoning with automatic adaptation of difficulty levels.
😊 Social Skills
Interactive scenarios to learn to recognize emotions, understand social codes, and practice interactions.
🎯 Motor Skills
Fun activities developing coordination, fine motor skills, and sensorimotor integration through adapted interfaces.
📚 Academic Learning
Adapted educational content promoting the acquisition of school skills in an engaging and structured manner.
Why Train in Therapeutic Digital Tools?
The integration of digital games into clinical practice is not improvised. It requires specific skills that only structured training can provide. Trained professionals observe a profound transformation in their practice, with tangible results for their patients and increased satisfaction in their daily work.
Objective Assessment
Precisely measure progress through data automatically collected by applications.
Increased Motivation
Maintain patient engagement through playful interfaces and appropriate rewards.
Advanced Personalization
Fine-tune exercises to the unique cognitive profile of each patient.
Facilitated Generalization
Promote the transfer of learning through supports usable at home.
"Training in digital tools has completely changed my way of working. My young autistic patients are much more engaged, and I can track their progress accurately. Serious games like COCO allow for working on complex skills in a playful way."
Key Skills to Acquire
A comprehensive training in therapeutic digital games should cover several complementary skill areas. Beyond the simple technical mastery of the tools, the professional must develop clinical expertise in the strategic use of these supports in service of therapeutic goals.
Fundamental Technical Skills
The first step is to master the technological environment. This includes knowledge of different types of devices (tablets, computers, adapted interfaces), navigation in therapeutic applications, and management of customization settings. The professional must also understand data security aspects and the protection of patient privacy.
Essential
Advanced
Advanced
Intermediate
Specialized Clinical Skills
Beyond the technical aspect, the core of the training concerns the relevant clinical use of digital tools. The professional learns to select games suited to each patient's profile, to define measurable therapeutic goals, to integrate digital sessions into a comprehensive intervention program, and to interpret data to adjust care.
Assessing cognitive functions is an essential prerequisite. The trained professional knows how to identify the patient's strengths and weaknesses to choose exercises targeting areas to be reinforced while relying on preserved skills. This individualized approach maximizes the effectiveness of the intervention while maintaining motivation.
COCO THINK and COCO MOVE Program
The COCO application developed by DYNSEO is a perfect example of a therapeutic digital tool adapted for autistic children. With its numerous games targeting different cognitive functions and its integrated sports break, COCO offers ideal support for stimulation in medical settings.
- Over 30 educational games adapted for ASD
- Progressive and customizable difficulty levels
- Precise targeting of cognitive functions
- Sports break every 15 minutes
- Intuitive and calming interface
Content of Professional Training
Training in the therapeutic use of digital games is generally organized into progressive modules covering all necessary skills. They combine theoretical inputs, practical demonstrations, and clinical simulations to ensure solid acquisition of know-how.
Module 1: Scientific Foundations
This first module lays the essential theoretical foundations. Participants discover the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of digital games, evidence-based data from research, and the criteria for selecting validated tools. Particular attention is paid to the cognitive specificities of autism and their consideration in the design of digital interventions.
Module 2: Overview of Available Tools
This module presents the different categories of therapeutic digital games available on the market. Participants learn to evaluate the quality of applications, identify relevant selection criteria, and build a library of tools suitable for their professional context. Practical demonstrations allow manipulation of the main applications used in medical settings.
Module 3: Assessment and Prescription
The focus is on the clinical reasoning guiding the choice of digital interventions. Participants learn to conduct an initial assessment, formulate SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) objectives, and develop a personalized intervention program. Case studies allow practice in the reasoned prescription of digital exercises.
Module 4: Practical Implementation
This module addresses the practical aspects of using digital games in sessions. Participants learn to create a favorable environment, to support the patient in discovering the tool, to maintain motivation, and to manage technical or behavioral difficulties that may arise. Practical workshops allow for simulating complete sessions.
💡 Training Advice
Prioritize training that includes practical situations with real patients under supervision. Learning through experience is essential to develop the ease necessary for effective clinical use of digital tools.
Module 5: Monitoring and Evaluating Progress
The final module focuses on analyzing data generated by therapeutic applications. Participants learn to interpret performance statistics, identify patterns of progression, spot warning signs, and adjust the program based on results. Visualization and reporting tools are presented to facilitate communication with families and the care team.
Integrating Digital Games into the Care Pathway
The use of therapeutic digital games is not conceived in isolation but fits into a comprehensive care pathway. The trained professional knows how to articulate these interventions with other therapeutic modalities and maintain coherence in patient support.
Thorough Initial Assessment
Conduct a complete assessment of cognitive functions, interests, and any sensory particularities to guide the choice of tools and exercise settings.
Defining Objectives
Formulate clear and measurable therapeutic objectives in consultation with the patient, their family, and the multidisciplinary team.
Selection and Configuration of Tools
Select games and exercises suited to the objectives and the patient's profile, configure difficulty levels, and personalize the interface if necessary.
Progressive Implementation
Gradually introduce digital tools, supporting the patient in familiarizing themselves with the interface and proposed exercises.
Monitoring and Adjustments
Regularly analyze performance data, adjust the program based on progress, and communicate results to stakeholders.
Specificities of Use in Medical Settings
The use of therapeutic digital games in medical settings presents particular characteristics that influence training modalities. Organizational constraints, regulatory requirements, and the nature of the patients encountered necessitate specific adaptations.
Hospital Environment
In a hospital context, digital sessions must adapt to time and space constraints. The trained professional learns to optimize short sessions, use mobile supports to intervene at the patient's bedside, and coordinate their actions with the rhythm of the services. Managing equipment and hygiene protocols are also part of the skills to be acquired.
Specialized Consultations
In the context of outpatient consultations, digital games can serve as an assessment tool, therapeutic support during the session, and a prescription for home work. The professional learns to combine these different modalities of use and to involve parents in the process to ensure continuity of stimulation between consultations.
⚠️ Caution Points in Medical Settings
The use of digital tools must comply with the institution's protocols regarding health data security, informed consent from patients and their legal representatives, as well as hygiene rules applicable to shared equipment. Training in medico-legal aspects is essential.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Therapeutic digital games offer the opportunity for enhanced collaboration among professionals. The collected data can be shared within the multidisciplinary team to enrich understanding of the patient and harmonize interventions. The trained professional learns to communicate effectively with colleagues around digital tools and to contribute to a coherent use at the institutional level.
Training: Supporting a Child with Autism
DYNSEO offers a comprehensive training for professionals wishing to deepen their skills in supporting autistic children. This training addresses validated intervention strategies and the use of adapted digital tools.
- In-depth understanding of ASD
- Practical intervention strategies
- Use of digital supports
- Family-professional collaboration
- Training certificate
Evaluation of Effectiveness and Research
The professional trained in the use of therapeutic digital games also develops skills in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. This dimension is essential to justify the use of these tools, optimize practices, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field.
Measuring Results
Therapeutic applications generate a significant amount of data that allows for objective tracking of progress. The professional learns to identify relevant indicators, interpret performance variations, and correlate digital data with clinical observations. This evidence-based approach enhances the rigor of care and facilitates communication with families and funders.
Contribution to Research
Professionals using validated digital tools can contribute to clinical research by participating in multicenter studies or systematically documenting their results. This research dimension enriches clinical practice and contributes to advancing knowledge on the effectiveness of digital interventions in autism.
"Since I started using applications like COCO with my patients, I have objective data to demonstrate their progress. Parents can see the changes on the graphs, which strengthens their engagement in the support process. It's truly a plus for my clinical practice."
Resources and Ongoing Support
Initial training in therapeutic digital games is just the first step. As the field evolves rapidly, professionals must keep their skills up to date and benefit from support in their daily practice.
Technological Watch
New applications and updates are regularly offered by publishers. The trained professional knows how to identify reliable information sources, evaluate the relevance of new offerings, and integrate useful innovations into their practice. Participation in professional communities and specialized events facilitates this watch.
Supervision and Practice Exchange
Exchange groups among professionals using the same tools allow for sharing experiences, resolving encountered difficulties, and optimizing practices. These collective supervision spaces are a valuable complement to initial training and promote the development of advanced expertise.
💡 Additional Resources from DYNSEO
To deepen your knowledge on supporting autistic individuals, consult our practical guides: Supporting Autistic Children and Supporting Autistic Adults. These resources perfectly complement training in digital tools.
Future Perspectives in the Field
The field of therapeutic digital games is experiencing rapid evolution driven by technological advancements and research in neuroscience. Professionals trained today must be prepared for upcoming transformations that will enrich their toolkit.
Artificial Intelligence and Personalization
Artificial intelligence algorithms allow for increasingly fine personalization of exercises in real-time. Next-generation applications analyze the patient's response patterns and automatically adjust the difficulty and content to maintain an optimal level of challenge. This dynamic adaptability enhances the effectiveness of interventions while reducing the setup burden for the professional.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Immersive technologies open new possibilities for training social skills and desensitizing to anxiety-provoking situations. Virtual environments allow for creating controlled and repeatable scenarios, particularly relevant for autistic individuals. Training in digital tools is progressively integrating these new modalities.
Connected Objects and Sensors
The integration of physiological sensors (heart rate, skin conductance, eye movements) enriches the data collected during digital sessions. This information allows for adapting the intervention to the patient's emotional state and objectifying responses to stress. The professional of tomorrow will need to master the interpretation of these multimodal data.
Conclusion: Investing in Training to Transform Practice
Training in the therapeutic use of digital games in medical settings represents a strategic investment for any professional supporting autistic individuals. The skills acquired significantly enrich clinical practice, improve patient engagement, and objectively document progress made.
Tools like the COCO THINK and COCO MOVE program from DYNSEO illustrate the potential of adapted digital applications, offering targeted exercises, progressive levels, and personalized tracking. Combined with solid training in support strategies for individuals with ASD, these tools are valuable resources for modernizing and optimizing care in medical settings.
By training now, you position yourself at the forefront of support practices and offer your patients the best chances for progress. Don't hesitate to explore the training and resources offered by DYNSEO to develop your skills in this rapidly expanding field.
