AAC support is intended for children who do not speak, speak very little, or do not use speech reliably in everyday communication.
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
This is not giving up on speech.
AAC gives the child an additional way to express themselves while speech develops, or when speech is not sufficient for the child to say what they want, think, and feel.
Communication should not have to wait for speech.
When is AAC needed?
AAC can be helpful if your child:
- does not speak
- speaks little
- speaks, but others have difficulty understanding
- uses speech only occasionally or only in familiar situations
- understands more than they can say
- points, pulls an adult by the hand, or uses their body to communicate something
- often cries, screams, withdraws, or becomes frustrated because others don't understand them
- uses echolalia and does not have enough flexible language
- has a recommendation for AAC
It is important that the child has a reliable way to say what they want, what they don't want, what they feel, and what they need. If they currently do not have that way, they need communication support immediately.
What can AAC include?
AAC is not just a communication tablet.
AAC can include:
- sign language
- eye gaze and pointing
- gestures
- communication boards
- communication books
- symbols and pictures
- text and writing
- applications and communication devices
For most children, the best support is not one tool, but a combination of multiple means of communication. The child can use speech, gesture, eye gaze, a communication book, and a device in different situations.
What does AAC support look like at Logolab?
At Logolab we first assess how the child already communicates. We observe how the child asks for things, refuses, chooses, shows interest, and reacts when they are not understood.
We look at what they already use: eye gaze, body, gesture, sound, behaviour, speech, or echolalia. Then together with parents we choose the form of support that makes sense for the child, the family, and the language the child hears every day.
In our work we can use communication boards, PODD communication books, sign language, visual support, and applications available in English and Serbian for iPad.
The goal of treatment is not for the child to point to a picture. The goal is for the child to have a way to participate in communication.
PODD Communication Book
At Logolab we particularly use PODD communication books.
PODD is not just a book with pictures. It is an organized language system that enables the child to communicate in real situations: during play, meals, walks, dressing, reading, choosing, refusing, commenting, and asking questions.
PODD gives the child not just a way to request something, but broader access to language: to say they don't want something, that they want more, that they like something, that they don't understand, that they want a break, that something is wrong, or that they have an idea.
What is the role of parents?
Parents are the child's most important communication partners.
That is why through our work we teach you how to recognise what the child is trying to say, how to introduce AAC without pressure, how to use the communication book or board in everyday situations, and how to support communication at home.
A parent does not need to become a therapist. A parent needs to understand the child and have clear, practical ways to support them in everyday life.
Frequently asked questions from parents
Does AAC prevent speech?
No. AAC does not prevent speech. AAC supports communication while speech develops. When a child has a way to be understood, communication often becomes less frustrating and more meaningful.
Is AAC the same as a communication tablet?
No. A tablet or device can be one form of AAC, but AAC includes gestures, signs, communication boards, communication books, PODD, symbols, text, and other ways of expressing oneself.
My child understands everything but does not speak. Is AAC right for them?
Yes. A child who understands more than they can express through speech often has a great need for AAC. AAC gives them a way to express what they know, want, think, and feel.
What if my child refuses to use the communication book?
That is common at first. The child may not yet understand what the book is for, or may currently find it easier to use gesture, eye gaze, body movement, or leading an adult by the hand. That is why we do not start with demands to "point." We start with modelling — the adult uses the book to say something real in a real situation.
Does my child need to understand pictures and symbols first?
No. The child does not need to first prove they understand symbols before we offer AAC. Just as we talk to a child before they speak, we also model AAC before the child begins to use it independently.
From what age can AAC begin?
AAC support can begin very early, as soon as we notice that the child does not have a reliable way to express what they want, do not want, feel, or need. AAC is not reserved for older children. For young children, support is introduced through everyday situations: play, routines, gestures, signs, communication boards, communication books (PODD), or other forms of communication that adults model. We do not wait for a certain age. Waiting without a means of communication is not support.
Can a child use both PODD and a tablet?
Yes. Children naturally use multiple means of communication. A physical communication book can be useful in some situations, while a digital device in others. It is important to find the combination that works in the child and family's real life.
Do you collaborate with kindergarten or school?
Yes, when it is in the child's interest. AAC should not remain only in the therapy room. The child needs a means of communication in all the environments where they spend their day.
The first step
If your child does not speak, speaks unreliably, or does not have a clear way to express what they want, think, and feel, the first step is a communication assessment.
At Logolab, together with the family, we look for ways to make the child's message heard through all available modalities — speech, gesture, sign, communication book, technology, or a combination of multiple pathways.
Schedule a free consultation