Robin Hurd

 

Deciding to use AAC with Your Child

I recently received a letter from a professional who was seeking resources for parents who are hesitant about using AAC with their child. This reminded me that we really haven’t talked about the very early process of deciding that it’s OK for our children to use alternatives to speech. Some parents are the driving force behind getting their child an alternative way to communicate. The decision is not whether to use speech alternatives, but which alternatives will be best for my child. But for other parents, the decision to use speech alternatives (AAC) is itself a gut-wrenching one. It is these parents that this month’s article is written for.

Some of the reasons why deciding to use speech alternatives can be so tough are: anxiety over learning how to use an AAC system, myths about using AAC, grief about having a child with a disability, and wondering if the AAC system will be accepted by the other children at school.

Learning to use an AAC system:

Having an AAC system in the house is a little like having a pet fish. Someone has to feed the fish, clean the tank, and care for it when it is sick. Someone has to take care of the AAC system, too: keeping all those picture cards in their place, plugging in the device to charge the batteries and getting repairs when necessary, not to mention putting the system in front of the child so he or she can use it! As a parent of a child with a disability, your life is already busy. Many parents wonder how they can keep up with one more thing.

And for those of us who don’t use computers regularly, a high tech device can be terrifying! If this is the case, training is available for whatever system your child uses; in fact, your best trainer just might be your child.

Having an AAC system in the house is different from having a pet fish in one critical way, however. The ability to communicate that an AAC system gives your child will enrich your child’s life in many, many ways. Communication can reduce behavior issues and frustration in your child, give your child the chance to learn how to put words together when speech is not yet an option and give you the parent a chance to see how much your child really does know, but just can’t yet communicate! (Given the choice, go with the AAC system and forget the pet fish!)

Myths about AAC

Another reason why you might hesitate to allow your child to use a speech alternative is that you have heard one of the biggest myths about them: If you give your child an AAC system, they will never learn to talk.

Sometimes this myth is told to parents by teachers who either are overwhelmed, and don’t want to deal with a child’s language needs or simply need to be educated. Sometimes well meaning but misinformed friends and family say this, but no mater where you hear it from, it is simply not true!

What is true is that children need to learn to use language—to put words together and see others respond to their words. Whether those words are sign language, a machine that speaks, picture cards used to communicate, or speech; the act of communicating stimulates your child’s brain to understand more and more about how communication works. Without the ability to communicate, a child’s brain is not stimulated to understand how words work, and certain concepts never form in the brain. Just as a child who is Deaf needs to be given a way to communicate as early as possible, so children who struggle with speech need to be given a way to communicate as early as possible, to allow them to reach their full communication potential.

Grief

A related reason why making the decision to use speech alternatives (AAC) can be so tough is that we tend to couple the decision to use AAC with the thought “If I do this, I am saying that my child will never be able to speak.” Grief then overwhelms us, and we are unwilling to use speech alternatives (AAC) with our child, simply because we want so badly for our child to speak. As parents of children with disabilities, we have had to give up many of our dreams for our children, and have replaced many of our fond hopes for the joys of parenting with nights wondering “what will become of my child?” Giving up on speech is the last thing any of us want to do.

The good news is, we don’t have to give up on speech, just because we choose to give a child an alternative way of communicating! I do know children who have begun kindergarten with an AAC system, and no longer need to use it. The time that those children spent with a speech alternative was a productive time to learn how to communicate with others. I also think that having the option to use an AAC system reduced the pressure to perform that sometimes makes speaking clearly so difficult, especially when lots of people are listening.

What will other kids think?

We may wonder whether the other kids will tease our child more if they use an AAC system instead of speech. This fear is unfounded. My own experience, as well as that of other parents I talk to, has been that other kids think it’s really cool to use a machine that speaks for you. In fact, we have had other children say that they wished they could have a power chair and a “talker” like our boys, as if it were the hottest new Christmas gift out there!
The toughest thing my sons have had to deal with from their peers is teaching them to keep their hands off of the talking machine.

Finally. . .

Making the decision to use speech alternatives (AAC) is not an easy one. But it can be the most exciting decision you will ever make! Opening the door to communication for your child may unleash the amazing personality of your child that others have never fully been able to enjoy.

As a parent of children who use AAC to communicate, I am available to answer questions you may have as you consider this big step in your child’s development. Feel free to e-mail me at parents@aacinstitute.org. The AAC institute also has an online parents group for parents whose children use AAC. It is a great resource for questions about raising children with speech impairments. For more information, go to:
http://www.aacinstitute.org/Resources/ParentsCorner/ParentsListserv.html

As always, e-mail your comments and questions to parents@aacinsitute.org. We love to hear from you!