HEBRON, Ky. — A Hebron mother is turning her family's challenges into solutions for other parents of neurodivergent children through a new mobile application designed to help kids explore their emotions.
Stephanie Dunbar launched a Kickstarter campaign for her app called InnerShell, which aims to provide interactive tools for neurodivergent and autistic children ages 3 to 10.
"I have people that come to me all the time and ask, you know, what did I do and how did I handle certain situations?" said Dunbar.
The inspiration for the app came from her personal experience raising her son, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2.
"My oldest son, who's 6 now, was diagnosed with autism at two, and during that time, we've made significant strides since then, but he was nonverbal until he was about three, which made it a little bit of a challenge to communicate with him," said Dunbar.
This communication barrier became one of her biggest hurdles as a parent, but she transformed that challenge into a resource that could benefit other families facing similar situations.
WATCH: She explains how Innershell helps children with autism navigate their emotions
"I was reflecting on what kind of tools I wish I had back then, when he was younger, to be able to help," said Dunbar.
The app features a turtle guide named Zane, named after Dunbar's son, who leads children through various activities, including breathing exercises, movement, sensory games, and guided listening activities.
"Whether it's breath with me, play with me, listen with me and then they have a routine section where parents can choose different types of tasks that they can put in," said Dunbar.
According to Innershell, 60% of children diagnosed with autism struggle with regulating their emotions. The app aims to address this challenge in a child-friendly way.
"The idea is just to take the pressure out of them performing for their parent or their caregiver or their teacher, and really helping them be able to sit down and reflect," said Dunbar.
Through the Kickstarter campaign, Dunbar hopes to raise funds to launch the app and build a supportive community for families navigating neurodiversity.
"They're not in this alone," said Dunbar.
