• 7800 Shoal Creek Blvd, Suite 110W, Austin, TX 78757
  • 512-610-1190
  • info@ACSkids.com
Get Started

Service Tag: Ideas

Home Service Tag: Ideas

Social Communication Therapy

Speech Therapy is not limited to targeting pronunciation and learning how to speak properly – it’s about communication in all forms!  Therapy at Austin’s Communication Station is a place where kids learn about how to be a part of the world around them. At Austin’s Communication Station we use the Social Thinking ® Methodology and a variety of other approaches to social skills therapy and executive functioning therapy to support your child’s ability to emotionally regulate by thinking about themselves, others, and their environment, in a whole new way. We want to see your child thrive as an individual, and in a way that is authentic to your family’s culture and priorities. 

At Austin’s Communication Station, both your Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists will work together to support your child’s highest level of function. By offering both group and individual sessions, we create opportunities for explicit learning of social and executive functioning tools, as well as organic moments of implementation and practice in a peer setting and working with a variety of adults and therapists to generalize knowledge. This format is great for social communication learners, and we love watching your kids grow and learn how to make friends and interact in everyday life.

Does your child demonstrate difficulties with any of the following… ?
  • Struggling to read or understand the emotional states of others
  • Describing emotions
  • Greeting, saying goodbye, or other niceties to others without being prompted
  • Understanding jokes, sarcasm, or friendly teasing
  • Feeling like everyone is bullying them or comes across as a bully to others
  • Conversing about things that are off topic or only about things of interest to them
  • Struggling to build relationships with peers
  • Compromising with others or accommodating to wishes of others
  • Getting easily bored, often jumping from one activity to another, and/or poor at entertaining self when alone
  • Violating the personal space of other people
  • Intruding on conversations or struggling to take turns speaking
  • Knowing how to regulate emotions when experiencing difficult social situations
  • Having big reactions to relatively small problems
  • Sharing or playing appropriately with peers
If so, we can help!

Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.  It refers to different methods people use to communicate when they can’t rely on verbal speech alone. Alternative communication is used when a person cannot speak or is difficult to understand, so various programs are used instead of verbal speech to convey needs, wants and ideas.   Augmentative communication involves adding tools or strategies—like pictures, writing, drawings, or speech-generating devices—to help make spoken messages clearer.  Some individuals use AAC in place of speech, while others use it to supplement or clarify their verbal speech.

Common AAC Misconceptions and reality:  

MYTH: The use of AAC will impede the development of spoken language

REALITY: Great news!  Research shows that using AAC does not stop someone from talking. In fact, many studies have shown that AAC often supports and encourages speech development. For children who can learn to speak, AAC can be a bridge to help them communicate more clearly and effectively while speech is still developing. For others, it provides a reliable way to express themselves when talking remains difficult.  AAC does not replace the desire or ability to speak—it simply gives another tool to assist with communication.

MYTH: Children can be too young to use AAC

REALITY: It is never too early to begin enhancing communication. AAC provides visual supports and voice output that can positively impact language, cognition and literacy skills. It could help children with disabilities have access to and participate in the same educational, social and play activities as peers.

MYTH: Children need to start with low-tech options before they try high-tech.

REALITY: There is no current evidence to suggest that low-tech systems have to be trialed before high-tech options.

There is a wide variety of AAC types.  AAC tools can range from no-tech or low-tech options such as facial expressions and gestures, writing or drawing, picture cards etc. To more advanced mid-tech or high-tech systems such as recordable switches, iPads with communication software or speech-generating devices.

AAC can support your child in expressing their wants and needs, building connections with others, and enhancing their overall quality of life. Additional benefits of AAC include:

  • Allowing your child to communicate at their true ability level
  • Providing an alternative way to communicate when verbal speech is difficult
  • Supporting the development of language skills
  • Improving communication with unfamiliar people
  • Reducing communication breakdowns
  • Lowering frustration related to communication challenges
  • Boosting confidence in expressing themselves

What diagnoses might be helped with AAC?

Any diagnosis! However, some common ones include:

  • Childhood Apraxia of Speech
  • Severe Articulation or Phonological disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Selective Mutism
  • Down Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Craniofacial anomalies (ex. cleft palate)
  • And so many more