Sono AAC
If your child is autistic and doesn’t speak, speaks only a little, or finds speech hard on some days, someone has probably mentioned AAC. This post explains the term in plain language. It’s general information to help you ask good questions, not a recommendation for your child.
What the letters stand for
AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication.
- Augmentative means adding to speech, for example when someone speaks a little and uses pictures to fill the gaps.
- Alternative means instead of speech, when someone doesn’t use speech to communicate.
AAC isn’t one product. It’s any way of communicating other than speaking: gestures, signs, pointing at pictures, letter boards, communication books, and devices or apps that speak aloud. Most people who use AAC combine several of these, depending on the moment.
No-tech, low-tech and high-tech
AAC is often sorted into three groups:
- No-tech: gestures, facial expressions, signs and body language.
- Low-tech: paper tools such as picture cards, communication boards and books, and letter boards.
- High-tech: tablets, phones and dedicated devices that speak aloud. An app like Sono belongs here.
The groups don’t compete. A laminated paper board is handy at the pool or on the beach, or when a battery runs flat, while a speaking app lets your child be heard across a room. Many families use both.
Who uses AAC
Many autistic children and adults use AAC. Some don’t speak at all. Some speak, but not reliably, for example when they’re tired, anxious or overwhelmed. Some speak fluently but find it easier to type or point when a subject is complicated or emotional. AAC can be useful in all of these situations; it isn’t only for people who don’t speak at all.
And it isn’t only for autistic people: people of all ages use AAC, for many different reasons.
Common worries
”Will AAC stop my child from learning to talk?”
This is the worry parents raise most often, and it’s an understandable one. Professional guidance addresses it directly. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) notes that people may believe AAC reduces the motivation to speak, and points to research suggesting that AAC, used together with other ways of communicating, may support natural speech rather than hold it back. You can read ASHA’s guidance on AAC yourself.
Every child is different, so talk this through with your child’s speech and language therapist.
”Is my child ready for AAC?”
Parents are sometimes told that a child needs certain skills before trying AAC. The same ASHA guidance says plainly: “There are no prerequisites for AAC intervention.” In other words, a child doesn’t have to prove anything first.
”My child just presses buttons at random.”
Exploring is how anyone gets to know a new way of communicating. Babies babble before they talk, and children often explore a symbol board in a similar way. You can treat those taps as a chance to talk: if your child taps STOP, you might say, “Stop? Okay, I’ll stop."
"Isn’t using AAC giving up on speech?”
AAC is “and”, not “or”. Using it doesn’t mean anyone has stopped supporting speech. It means your child has a way to be understood today, while everything else continues.
Where to start
- Talk to a professional. A speech and language therapist or another AAC specialist can look at what your child needs and help you compare options, including low-tech ones. If you’re not sure where to find one, your child’s doctor, school or a local autism association may be able to point you in the right direction.
- Start with words that matter to your child. Favourite foods, people and activities, and words like MORE, STOP, HELP and ALL DONE come up many times a day.
- Use it yourself. Children learn a language by seeing others use it. Our post on modelling explains how families do this.
- Give it time. Learning any language takes a long time, and progress is rarely a straight line.
Where Sono fits in
Sono is one high-tech option. It may or may not suit your child, and that’s a decision to make with the people who know your child best. Whatever you choose, a paper backup and a patient listener stay as important as any app.