Let’s start with a question: Have you ever noticed your child pointing at something they want but not saying a word? Maybe they’re looking at their favorite snack on the table and you know exactly what they want, but they just can’t verbalize it. That’s where Augmentative and Alternative Communication, or AAC, comes in.

Let’s imagine you have a child named Sam. Sam is 5 years old and he’s non-verbal. You’re in the kitchen, and he walks over to the fridge and points at it. You know he’s probably thirsty, but he doesn’t say anything. Now, this is a moment where we can introduce AAC to help Sam communicate more effectively.

You could have a picture board on your fridge, maybe one with pictures of different drinks—juice, water, milk. When Sam points to the fridge, you can bring him over to the board and say, “Sam, are you thirsty? Which one do you want?” Sam might not respond with words, but maybe he points to the picture of juice. You can then say, “Juice! You want juice!” and hand him the juice.

Now, that might seem like a small interaction, but what just happened here? Sam used a non-verbal cue to communicate his need, and by bridging that behavior with an AAC system, you helped him express his choice. You also modeled the word “juice” for him, linking the action to the word. Even though he didn’t speak, he communicated—and that’s a win!

I know some of you might be thinking, “But if I use AAC, won’t that stop my child from learning to speak?” The short answer is, no! In fact, AAC can enhance verbal speech by showing your child that communication is possible. It takes away the frustration of not being understood, and that success motivates them to try more, even verbally.

Let’s go back to our example with Sam. Over time, as he continues using the picture board, he’ll start to understand that when he points to the picture of juice, he gets juice. Eventually, he might begin to mimic the sound of the word, or even say it aloud because he’s learned that the word holds meaning and value.

Now, let’s talk about those moments when your child might not be using AAC yet, but they’re trying to communicate in other ways. Maybe they’re pulling you toward something, or making a sound that seems random. These are signs of communication intent—your child is trying to tell you something, even if it’s not with words.

In Sam’s case, let’s imagine he’s tugging on your hand and leading you to the toy shelf. He doesn’t speak, but you know he’s trying to tell you he wants to play with a particular toy. This is another opportunity to bridge behavior to speech. Even if Sam doesn’t respond verbally, you’ve still modeled the language for him, and you’re reinforcing that his actions have communicative value.

Here’s a little exercise I’d love for you to try at home:

Find or create a simple picture board of your child’s favorite things—snacks, toys, drinks, etc. When they point, gesture, or even make a sound that indicates they want something, guide them to the picture and help them select what they need. Then, label it for them out loud.

- Celebrate small wins: The first time your child uses a picture to communicate or even points to something with intent, celebrate it! Reinforce how proud you are, and let them see that communicating, even non-verbally, is an accomplishment.