"Not being able to speak is NOT the same as not having anything to say."
~ Rosemary Crossley
Q: What is AAC and will it hinder my child's learning to talk?
A: Children with severe challenges communicating should be given every opportunity to "speak" even though it may not be the conventional way. Make every mode of communication accessible to a child that has severe speech and language challenges. It's not about the comfort and ease for those caring for the child. It's every child's right to have a voice especially when it may take some time before they are able to use their speaking voice. Some children, for various reasons, may never develop spoken language. Finding the right mode requires help from a speech-language pathologist, and in some cases an occupational or physical therapist in addition.
Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) refers to any mode of communicating that a person can use other than talking. These a different modes of communication may be used temporarily, while for some, they may be used throughout a person's entire life. Their are multiple modes of communication that fall under two categories, no/low-tech and high-tech. The different options include:
No/Low-Tech
-gestures and facial expressions,
-writing,
-spelling words by pointing to letters,
-pointing to pictures, icons or written words,
-drawing
Hi-Tech
-using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and
-using a computer with a “voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device
-(these can be activated by touch, switches/joy stick and eye or head tracking)
Many parents and caregivers are concerned that using AAC will hinder verbal language development. This is far from true as research shows (and from clinical experience I can attest) that AAC can actually facilitate verbal language development. In my own experience, I have even used low-tech AAC temporarily to facilitate initiation and persistence in communicating even when children are speaking words (specifically children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as they can demonstrate very limited use of those words to communicate wants and needs). Another concern is age. Research shows (and again I can attest) that even children under three years of age can learn to use AAC.
A special word to those caregivers who have children already using AAC devices. Don't leave home without it and have it accessible at all times at home; especially when your child is learning how to use it. Remember, just because your child can't speak, doesn't mean they can't learn language through another modality and it does NOT mean they don't have anything to say. That device is their voice and you wouldn't want to withhold that from them!
On a side note, sign language (such as ASL) is not considered by many an alternative/augmentative mode of communicating. It is a language in and of itself among the Deaf and Hard of Hearing culture. Sign language has it's own structure, grammar, vocabulary and rich cultural history. Many speech therapists (myself included) utilize gestures, some adapted from ASL, as many children can more easily use this manual form of communicating until their spoken language "catches up". Additionally, nonverbal imitation is a precursory skill to verbal imitation so communicative gestures can be used as a springboard to teaching verbal imitation, building to spoken language.
- Stephanie Peterson, M.A., CCC-SLP, ASDCS
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