Blog
AAC Devices
Many times, the patients we see struggle to communicate verbally. They easily become frustrated and may demonstrate behaviors because they cannot communicate their basic wants and needs. Some of these patients may be candidates for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. An AAC device gives a person a way to communicate via a machine that they control. Parents are often skeptical about implementing these devices because they believe it will deter any verbal language development. A study performed at the University of Tennessee found that using an AAC device (specifically Proloquo2Go) can enhance a child’s verbal speech skills. The children throughout this study showed improvements with manding, verbal completion, and tacting tasks during ABA therapy when using the Proloquo2Go software. The following are some things to consider when beginning to implement an AAC device:
- Consider the activities of daily living your patient participates in. It is important to personalize the AAC device so the patient can participate in all social and academic activities.
- It may be helpful to begin with manding tasks when an AAC deivce is first presented. Manding tasks will allow the patient to understand that the device acts as their own voice and can be used to answer, comment, and express.
- Encourage parents and patients to carry the AAC device with them at all times. This device is the voice for the child and they need to be able to communicate their wants and needs easily.
- Utilize other related service providers when implementing an AAC device. For example, some children who are presented with an AAC device may struggle with fine motor skills. Making proper referrals to an occupational therapist may help to alleviate some of these struggles
References:
http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4573&context=utk_graddiss
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40489-014-0018-5
Johanna Sullivan MA, CF-SLP
