Sono AAC
Routines repeat. The same words come up at the same moments every day, which makes routines a natural place to communicate with symbols, without setting aside special time.
Below are ideas for different parts of the day, with words from Sono’s board in capitals. Pick one routine to start with, not all of them. This is general information, not a programme for your child; a speech and language therapist can help you choose what fits.
Mealtimes
Food matters to most children, and mealtimes happen several times a day.
- Words to model: EAT, DRINK, MORE, ALL DONE and WANT, plus the foods your child actually eats, such as JUICE, WATER or SNACK.
- Offer a choice. Hold up two options and model both: “JUICE or WATER?” Then wait, and accept the answer however it comes: a tap, a point or a look.
- “All done” counts. When your child shows they’ve finished, model ALL DONE and let them be finished.
Getting dressed and washing
- Words to model: HELP, WAIT, AGAIN, HOT and COLD, and clothes such as JACKET and HAT.
- Narrate with one or two symbols. “JACKET on… now HAT. ALL DONE!”
- Model HELP often. It’s a word your child can use everywhere.
Play
Play is a good place to communicate, because your child gets to choose what happens.
- Words to model: GO, STOP, AGAIN, MORE, FUNNY, LOOK, MINE and YOU.
- Games with a pause work well: TICKLE, SWING, chasing or BUBBLES. Stop, model AGAIN or MORE, wait, and carry on when your child communicates in any way.
- Sono has games and a drawing board too, but here people matter more than screens. Playing together is the real practice.
Out and about
- Show where you’re going before you leave: OUTSIDE, then the place, such as PARK, STORE, SCHOOL or PLAYGROUND.
- Take a paper backup for places where a phone isn’t practical, like the POOL or the BEACH.
- Download an offline voice before you need it, if your language has one. Once installed, it speaks without internet, which helps where the signal is poor.
Feelings and bedtime
The end of the day can be a calm moment to talk about feelings.
- Words to model: HAPPY, SAD, TIRED, and others in the Feelings category.
- Model your own feelings too: “I’m TIRED.” Children learn words for feelings by hearing others use them about themselves.
- Words for when something is wrong. It’s worth modelling HELP, STOP and HURT in calm moments, so they’re familiar. At the same time, make sure the people around your child know the other ways your child shows distress. No app should be the only way to ask for help, especially in an emergency.
Bringing other people along
A communication tool is most useful when everyone around your child understands it.
- Show the key people where the board is, which words you’re focusing on, and how to wait for an answer. That might be grandparents, siblings, babysitters or teachers.
- Agree on a few words that everyone models this month. A short list on the fridge or in the school bag helps.
- Ask your child’s school or therapist how they use AAC, so the approach is similar in both places.
- Keep the device charged and with your child: in the bag, at school and on visits.
A final word
There’s no perfect way to do this. Some days you’ll model a lot, some days not at all, and that’s fine. What matters is that your child has a way to be heard, and people around them who are listening.