Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Children
¡Proveemos terapia del habla y del lenguaje bilingüe!
We provide bilingual speech and language therapy!
When Your Child Needs More Ways to Communicate
Augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, includes ways a child can communicate in addition to or instead of spoken words. AAC may include gestures, pictures, communication boards, or electronic speech-generating devices.
Your child may benefit from AAC if speech alone does not reliably help them express their wants, needs, thoughts, or ideas. A speech-language pathologist can evaluate how your child communicates and help determine whether AAC may be appropriate
What Is AAC?
Gestures or signs
Pictures or visual symbols
Communication boards or books
Electronic speech-generating devices
AAC is not one specific device or system. The right approach depends on how your child communicates and where they may need additional support.
AAC gives children additional ways to communicate. “Augmentative” communication adds to speech, while “alternative” communication provides another way to communicate when speech is limited or difficult to use.
Depending on your child’s needs, AAC may include:
When Might a Child Benefit From AAC?
An AAC evaluation may be helpful if your child:
Has difficulty expressing wants, needs, thoughts, or ideas through speech alone
Is often difficult for others to understand when speaking
Relies on gestures, pictures, or other methods to communicate
Becomes frustrated when they cannot communicate what they want to say
These signs do not automatically mean your child needs AAC. An evaluation can help identify your child’s communication strengths and determine what support may be useful.
What Does AAC Support Look Like?
AAC support starts with understanding how your child currently communicates and where they may need more support.
Understanding Language
Receptive language is how a child understands words, questions, directions, and ideas. Therapy may work on skills such as following directions, understanding questions, learning vocabulary, and making sense of increasingly complex language.
Using Language
Expressive language is how a child uses words and sentences to communicate. Therapy may support vocabulary, sentence building, grammar, answering questions, explaining ideas, and telling stories.
Practicing Language Skills in Everyday Routines
Language practice can happen through play-based activities, books, conversation, and familiar routines. Therapists may also share simple strategies families can use during play, reading, meals, or other parts of the day.
Our Process
step 01
Phone Consult
During an initial phone consultation, we'll ask what you are noticing during everyday routines. This may include how your child communicates, understands language, produces speech sounds, interacts with others, or manages feeding. The conversation helps the team determine whether a speech-language evaluation may be an appropriate next step.
step 02
Evaluation
A speech-language pathologist reviews your child's case history, parent questionnaire, and current concerns. The evaluation may include standardized measures and play-based or conversational observation.
Depending on the reason for the evaluation, the therapist may look at speech sound production, expressive and receptive language, social communication, fluency, oral motor or feeding skills, literacy, or augmentative and alternative communication needs. Parents and caregivers also share what communication looks like at home, at school, and during daily routines.
step 03
Recommendations
After the evaluation, the therapist explains the findings in plain language. You'll discuss your child's strengths, areas where support may help, and any questions you have about the results. If pediatric speech therapy is recommended, the therapist will outline proposed goals and next steps based on your child's needs.
step 04
Therapy
Sessions follow the goals developed from your child's evaluation and use play-based, evidence-based activities. A session may include practicing speech sounds in words and conversation, building vocabulary or sentence length, following directions, supporting social communication, using an augmentative communication system, or working on feeding skills.
The therapist adjusts activities and practice as your child develops new skills. For families coming from Denver and nearby communities, ongoing clinic sessions take place at our Northglenn office unless another currently available service option applies.
step 05
Progress Checkups
After appointments, your child's therapist provides a brief update about what was practiced and how your child responded. Families may also receive simple strategies to use during play, meals, reading, or other daily routines.
The therapist reviews goals over time and may adjust the treatment plan as your child's needs and progress change. You can also ask questions about what you are noticing outside therapy.
step 06
Graduate from Services
Speech therapy may end when your child has met the agreed-upon goals, no longer needs ongoing support, or another plan is more appropriate. Before services end, the therapist will review your child's progress with you and explain any follow-up recommendations. You can contact the team again if new communication concerns arise.
Frequently Asked Questions About AAC
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No. AAC can include gestures, pictures, visual symbols, communication boards, or electronic speech-generating devices. The type of AAC used depends on the child’s communication needs.
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Yes. AAC can add to the spoken communication a child already uses or provide another way to communicate when speech is difficult to rely on.
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AAC can support communication during play, family routines, learning activities, and interactions with other people. The goal is to help your child communicate in situations that are meaningful in everyday life.
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Yes. Your child’s therapist can help you understand how to support the recommended communication approach during everyday routines at home.
GET STARTED
Ready to Talk With a Pediatric Speech Therapist?
If you’re wondering whether AAC may help your child communicate more easily, contact Children’s Therapy Services of Colorado.
Our team can learn more about how your child communicates and help you understand whether an AAC or speech-language evaluation may be helpful.