Who would benefit from AAC?

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) supports people with a wide range of communication needs. Here are some examples of clients who might benefit from this:

✨Non-Speaking: Whether due to Dysarthria, Selective Mutism or Autism. AAC provides alternative ways to express thoughts, needs, and ideas in a way that others can understand. It is important to also continue to respect non-verbal communication e.g. gestures, facial expressions.

✨Unclear Speech: AAC can assist clients with reduced intelligibility. This could be due to MND, Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s or Cerebral Palsy. It is frustrating having to repeat yourself when others don’t understand. AAC provides a means to repair conversations in a quick and easy way. Some people might even be able to use ‘voice banking’, so they can communicate in their own voice!

✨Communication Fatigue: Speaking can be tiring! This is especially true for people with conditions that make it extra effortful to form sounds and words, or for those who use a lot of energy to speak clearly. AAC can be a useful tool on days you are feeling fatigued or want a break from talking.

✨Fluctuating Conditions: For some, communication abilities change throughout the day or week. For many Neurodiverse people, navigating a neurotypical world of sensory overload and masking social cues can lead to Autistic Burnout. Someone that often speaks in full sentences, can suddenly become minimally or non-speaking. It it often beneficial to implement easy to access AAC tools at these times (e.g. SMS social scripts, text-to-speech of common social phrases).

Remember, the goal of speech therapy is to help with effective communication. Whether that be with spoken language or Augmentative and Alternative Communication. All communication methods are equally valuable.
Reach out to our Speech Pathology team if you or someone you know might benefit from AAC!