As a parent, you have probably come up with a great system over the years to understand your child. But, as your child grows and becomes more independent, unfamiliar listeners (new teachers and staff, community helpers, future employers, neighbors) may have a difficult time understanding your child. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is designed to help your child in these circumstances. AAC can be as low tech as a pencil and paper or page of picture symbols, or as high tech as a specialized computer system or iPad that speaks. It doesn’t matter how fancy the system is as long as it works for your child and an unfamiliar listener can figure out what your child is trying to say.
Now that distance learning will be the norm, it’s important to remember to continue working on your child’s AAC goals. If the school supplies a device for your child (high tech or low tech), there is a new law that came into effect in January of 2020 that your child is entitled to also have this device at home. Remember to be consistent, model use of the device, offer many opportunities for use in various settings, get everyone on board (other family members, neighbors, school staff), and keep the device close by and easily accessible. If you need advice or ideas on how to incorporate AAC into your daily routine, I can help!
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