What Does the World Feel Like for Your Child? How Virtual Reality can Help Parents Understand Neurodivergence
Imagine stepping into a grocery store where the lights are too bright, the background chatter feels like a roar, and every sudden noise jolts your body. For many neurodivergent children, everyday environments can feel overwhelming in ways that are hard to put into words.
For parents, understanding how these experiences shape their child’s world can be challenging—especially when those sensory realities differ so drastically from their own.
Embracing the Unique Perspectives of Neurodivergent Children
Children with autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergences may experience loud noises, bright lights, or crowded spaces in uniquely intense ways. At the same time, they often possess remarkable creativity, attention to detail, and an extraordinary ability to focus on topics that spark their interest. However, understanding the full range of sensory and cognitive experiences can be challenging, especially when those experiences differ significantly from the parent’s own.
Rather than viewing these differences as deficits, parents can adopt a strengths-based perspective—one that acknowledges both the unique talents and specific needs of neurodivergent children. This mindset can help parents provide the kind of guidance and encouragement that allows children to thrive. Virtual reality (VR) is one emerging tool that can bring parents closer to their child’s sensory world, offering an immersive means of building empathy and support.
The swyvl Approach: Bringing Relatable Everyday Scenarios into VR
swyvl is committed to helping parents and caregivers better understand the distinct ways that neurodivergent children may perceive everyday settings. By creating VR scenarios inspired by real-life situations—such as a classroom bustling with activity or a grocery store filled with bright lights and complex soundscapes—swyvl aims to highlight both the challenges and the strengths that children might display in these situations.
For instance, a child who is hypersensitive to sound may excel at noticing subtle details that others overlook but might also feel overwhelmed in noisy group activities. Through swyvl’s VR scenarios, parents can develop a richer understanding of how heightened sensory awareness can be both a source of insight and a trigger for stress. When parents have an opportunity to stand in their child’s shoes in a virtual environment, they are better equipped to create supportive routines that celebrate the child’s abilities while minimizing unnecessary obstacles.
Recognizing that not all families have access to VR headsets, swyvl ensures accessibility through its web-based, mobile, and TV-compatible platform, allowing parents to engage meaningfully without specialized equipment.
The Science: Grounded in Neurodivergent Perspectives and Research
Research on immersive learning consistently shows that VR can deepen understanding of different perspectives. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior (Van Loon et al., 2018) found that interactive, multi-sensory experiences foster greater empathy and awareness compared to traditional text or video learning. swyvl applies these findings by designing experiences that authentically capture the lived realities of neurodivergent individuals.
Each scenario is co-created with neurodivergent individuals, ensuring an authentic representation of both the challenges and strengths they experience. Additionally, experts in psychology, cognitive science, and education contribute to the development process, keeping the content research-driven and impactful.
Practical Ways VR Insights Can Empower Parents
“At Autism Canada, we see firsthand the challenges families and individuals face in navigating a world that is not always designed with neurodivergent needs in mind.
swyvl is a game-changer. Their approach goes beyond awareness — it has the potential to drive real, meaningful change.
We are proud to support their mission and look forward to the impact they will continue to make.”
Dominique Chabot
Family Support Manager at Autism Canada
An enhanced understanding of neurodivergent children’s experiences offers more than just sympathy—it creates opportunities for real-world action and celebration of each child’s unique skills. Parents who experience swyvl’s VR scenarios may gain:
✅ A Deeper Appreciation of Strengths
By witnessing their child’s sensitivity, heightened awareness, and focused interests, parents can better recognize and nurture these unique abilities.
✅ Improved Communication
Understanding how sensory factors shape a child’s reactions encourages solution-focused conversations rather than misunderstandings.
✅ More Meaningful Supports
Parents can tailor accommodations—such as creating calm spaces at home or advocating for the right learning environment—once they experience how external conditions impact their child.
When parents shift their perspective from viewing sensory differences as purely challenging to seeing them as part of a richer spectrum of learning and growth, they become better advocates, both inside and outside the home.
Your Chance to Support swyvl’s Mission
swyvl believes that virtual reality can serve as a powerful bridge between parents and the neurodivergent children they love and cherish. But to bring these tools to as many families as possible, we need your help.
By contributing to swyvl’s crowdfunding campaign, you are giving yourself—and other parents—the ability to step inside your child’s world. This is more than a VR experience; it is a chance to see through their eyes, advocate for their needs, and parent with a new level of understanding. Together, we can create a world where every child is seen, understood, and celebrated.
Join us in creating a world where every neurodivergent child is seen, understood, and celebrated.
Thank you for being part of a movement that recognizes neurodivergent children for who they are—capable, insightful, and deserving of the best possible world.
Illustration by Julia Reck.