Digital platform launches to help parents of children with autism

Rockmelon spent the last 18 months developing their first product, the Rockmelon Parent Edition which is available to Australian families now and will soon launch all over the world.

Chief Executive Officer of Rockmelon, Nicole Rogerson says the platform was created to provide the best tools, support and information for families of children with autism and other developmental delays.

Families will have access to a wide range of visual teaching tools and interactive learning modules as well as essential features that will help streamline communications between everyone supporting their child, including flashcards to help children with autism understand concepts and step by step teaching technique so parents can develop skills to help their child.

A fierce autism advocate for her son, Ms Rogerson says upon receiving a diagnosis, families often offered very little support.

“They are told to Google their options and see what works for their family.

“Too often I have seen families lose precious time and funds trying to find the right support for their child.

“I have watched this go on for 20 years and it’s always been unacceptable to me.

“I have seen the worry and frustration as parents try to navigate their family’s new reality with little to no guidance. Something needed to change.”

Ms Rogerson says there needed to be a tool that centralised everything parents needed upon receiving their child’s diagnosis and a digital platform was the answer.

The platform was brought to life with the help of fellow parent and impact investor, Alex André de la Porte and digital product and technology specialist, Stuart Waite and developed with the help of an international team of leading clinicians and experts.

“We have spent over a year building the exact product Alex and I would have wanted when our children were diagnosed,” Ms Rogerson says.

“This platform is made by parents, for parents. Digital solutions like this are cost effective and accessible, so we are able to reach parents across Australia and around the world. All they need is a mobile device.”

Feedback has been positive.

“I am really impressed with what I have seen of the Rockmelon app so far,” parent Mary Lishomwa says.

“What a difference this product would have made for me and my family in those early overwhelming days of my daughter’s diagnosis.”

Earlier this month Rockmelon announced the launch of its Parent Edition in New Zealand.

“It is very exciting but that is only the beginning,” Ms Rogerson says.

“We are launching in the UK in June and we are currently producing an American version which will launch shortly also.

“A digital platform means we can deliver these tool globally quite easily, so later in the year, we will look at new markets in other languages.

“We have quite a big mission!”

Rockmelon’s Parent Edition is available now in the Australian Apple App Store with US and UK versions will be launched in mid-2019. An Android version will launch in mid-2019.

Additional versions in other languages scheduled for 2020.