Faced with the Communication Challenges of Autism
If you are a parent of an individual with autism or an education or speech professional who works with the autism community, then you know communication can be a challenge. Some individuals may not develop spoken language, while others have well-developed vocabularies, but are challenged with trying to use the vocabulary. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) may provide the answer.
What is AAC?
AAC is a term used to describe a range of communication tools including high-tech speech-generating devices, which are often funded by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.
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What if the individual is nonverbal?
Children who are nonverbal can benefit from the use of AAC at a very young age. An AAC or speech generating device like the DynaVox V or DynaVox Xpress is a communication resource that allows a person to select symbols, pictures, letters, words or phrases to generate oral communication. Some people actually develop the ability to use natural speech through using a device. |
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What if the individual has limited speech or is verbal?
Some people with autism are echolalic and use repetitive speech. These individuals can benefit from a speech-generating device to help them use speech consistently and engage in more meaningful communication.
Who can help determine if a speech-generating device will provide a solution?
A speech language pathologist (SLP) knowledgeable in AAC is the professional to consult. They will be able to perform an evaluation to determine if a speech-generating device is appropriate and which device will best meet the specific needs of the communicator.
For individuals capable of functional speech, tools, such as Boardmaker® Plus! provide an interactive, on-screen symbol based learning environment to assist with education. Boardmaker Activity Pad is a portable tool that helps children with autism learn and communicate.
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Identify Alternative Product Solutions
Our goal for children with autism is to help improve their functional communication. The hope is that every child will develop the ability to speak or use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) supports to communicate. We offer both AAC devices and educational software that will help with this objective.
Find Your Local Sales Consultant
Your DynaVox Sales Consultant is close-by and works with you and your speech language pathologist. If you don't have an SLP, your Dynavox consultant can recommend one knowledgeable in AAC. He or she will lend their device expertise to your SLP to help with product selection and evaluations. Your Consultant can also introduce you to other DynaVox services including funding support, technical support and training.