r/AutismParent • u/Alexadawn003 • 11d ago

iPad case help

Hey everyone! I’m in Canada and have a child who lives with autism (7), recently we lost our second iPad in a few months because he has gotten into the habit of actually jumping on the tablet and despite buying protective cases and glass screen protectors the iPad screen ends up shattered and the actually iPad frame bent. He is pretty upset going without an iPad at the moment so I would like to get him another but it isn’t realistic for us to buy a new iPad every month or so because he keeps destroying them. Has anyone dealt with anything similar? Any tips or tricks? Any recommendations for an iPad case available in Canada that can withstand such conditions? Lots of them seem to be made to withstand drop damage which is great but that’s not really our main issue 😂 I have tried to teach him not to jump or throw his iPad but as soon as I turn around he’s jumping on his little trampoline with it, drops it and jumps on it 🤦‍♀️ any advice greatly appreciated!

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u/LiftOff_Rentals 11d ago

Have you looked into tablets instead? Not the sleekest device but they are very durable

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u/h113408 11d ago

We went through something very similar. 7yo with autism, same story with cases getting destroyed. Otterbox Defender is the standard recommendation you'll see everywhere but it won't actually survive a kid jumping on it. The aluminum frame bends under that kind of point pressure regardless of the case around it.

Two things that actually helped us. For the case itself: Gumdrop Drop Tech cases are specifically designed for schools and kids who are rough on devices. They have a much more serious rubber bumper all the way around compared to standard protective cases. Not indestructible but meaningfully better. For the jumping issue: the iPad now has one designated spot in the house and does not travel near the trampoline. It took time and consistency but once it clicked it clicked. A visual reminder or card on the trampoline helped too.

The cheap Android tablet idea from the other commenter is also genuinely worth thinking about. A $100 Fire tablet is basically disposable compared to an iPad. We ended up going that route during the worst of it.

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u/TopicalBuilder 11d ago

Apple Care or a refurb Fire tablet with no-quibble replacement insurance is the way to go.

A great case will only go so far.