If your child is struggling with speech, you’ve likely tried different ways to help them communicate. But what happens when traditional speech doesn’t seem to be enough? In that case, it may be time to introduce your child to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods.
My name is Jessica Abawag, and I’m a speech language pathologist and owner of Fluens Children’s Therapy. We have locations in Tacoma, Washington, and Columbia, Tennessee, and we provide speech therapy for kids. Today, we’re going to talk about AAC and answer a common question that we get asked by parents: does AAC prevent speech development in children?
First, What Is AAC?
AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. What does that mean? Well, speaking is the fastest way for people to communicate. But when people aren’t speaking, are there other tools and strategies that they can use? Are there alternative ways for people to communicate? Yes, there are.
It could be through sign language, pictures, a voice output device like a computer or a machine that talks for somebody. All of those are different examples of AAC that give you an alternative way to communicate.
There’s also an augmentative way to communicate which we all use. A lot of us use cell phones and text people, and we add emojis to the text that we send to people. That’s a way to augment or add to our communication with a little emoji.
Many Parents Worry That Using AAC Will Keep Their Child from Speaking
A lot of times, we’ll see parents be a little cautious or hesitant to utilize AAC because they don’t want it to stop their children from being able to speak. I completely understand that. But we know that the reality is, not every individual is going to be able to speak as clearly and comprehensively as everybody else, and that’s okay. That’s why AAC exists, to augment or provide an alternative way for people to communicate.
We often have to explain to parents that AAC is not going to stop their kid from speaking. In fact, research shows the complete opposite. It’s going to allow the child’s relationships and communication to be deeper and more meaningful and to flow better.
If a child is getting frustrated because they can’t talk, and we’re not giving them another way to communicate what they’re feeling (what they want, what they don’t want), they’re going to eventually feel frustration or shut down. AAC prevents that problem and gives your child a voice.
Using AAC Can Actually Promote Speech and Language Development
There is a client that I just recently started working with who came in, and she didn’t have any words. She wasn’t speaking. She was using some vocalization (making some noises), but not a whole lot of gestures. And she would follow along with what I was telling her, but she didn’t have a way to express herself.
We introduced her to a voice output device, a machine that looks like an iPad where kids can push the button and it speaks the word for them. She just lit up, and she’s now learning how to use that machine. And she’s getting excited because now she has a way to communicate! Now our relationship can build, and her relationships with her family and friends and people in the community can be that much stronger because she now has a way to communicate.
She may eventually start talking or she may not, but at least she has a way to communicate. And it doesn’t have to be a machine. People can use pictures to help communicate. A kid can hand a picture of a yogurt to their mom, who then knows, “Oh, they’re hungry. They want yogurt.” Then she can give the yogurt to her kid. It gives the child an avenue for him to communicate even without speech.
Why You Should Consider AAC for Your Child
If speech is something that your child is struggling with, or if you’ve had a speech therapist recommend it to you before and you weren’t sure, I strongly recommend looking into AAC. It can be so beneficial for children and adults because it gives your child a way to form more meaningful relationships and be able to express themselves and communicate.
We even use AAC if kids are talking, but the words that they’re saying aren’t very clear. Oftentimes, we’ll use AAC while they’re still learning to pronounce their sounds more clearly. This gives them the ability to communicate while they’re building their speech skills. So, keep in mind that AAC is not just for kids who aren’t talking at all.
Reach Out to Fluens Children’s Therapy for An Assessment
If you don’t have a speech therapist, but you’re concerned about your child’s speech and language development, I encourage you to give us a call so we can see how we can help. You can reach out to our Washington clinic at (253) 212-3502 or to our Columbia clinic at (931) 982-6092, and we’ll be happy to answer your questions or schedule an assessment to see if your child can benefit from using AAC.