Should families set shared screen-free hours rather than individual limits?

My daughter uses her tablet to communicate. She is autistic, and the device is her voice: her AAC app, her visual schedules, the video calls with her speech therapist. A shared household blackout that treats every screen as entertainment would take her voice away for the sake of a rule. She is not an edge case. Millions of kids use devices for accessibility, anxiety management, and staying connected to support networks, and a one-size household rule cannot tell the difference between a lifeline and a distraction. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a family media plan built around each child's needs, not a single curfew for the house. AAP. Shared hours sound fair until you meet the family they silence. Build the plan around the kid, not the clock.