🎃 More Than Ghosts and Pumpkin Spice: Finding Voices in October

October has always been the month of ghosts, pumpkins, and caffeine that tastes suspiciously like dessert. But for me, October is about something far more meaningful — it’s AAC Awareness Month. A month where we celebrate every way that humans can communicate, not just with words, but with gestures, devices, signs, and symbols that make connection possible.

As a speech therapist, I’ve had the privilege of watching AAC — Augmentative and Alternative Communication — change lives. It’s not just technology. It’s humanity, distilled into buttons, icons, and voices that finally speak back.

This October has been bittersweet for me. I lost a beautiful soul — a young boy who was learning to use high-tech AAC to communicate. He was non-speaking, but far from voiceless. Through his device, he laughed, joked, shared preferences, and told us about his world. His joy when people honoured his communication — when they waited, listened, and responded — was profound. That device didn’t take away from who he was. It revealed him. - And that’s what AAC does. It gives people access — to connection, autonomy, and belonging.

💬 So, What Exactly Is AAC?

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication — tools and strategies that support or replace speech. It can be as simple as gestures, picture cards, or key words written on paper, or as complex as speech-generating devices like TouchChat, Proloquo2Go, or LAMP Words for Life.

• Unaided AAC includes things like facial expressions, pointing, signing, or body language.

• Aided AAC includes anything external — from a low-tech communication board to a high-tech tablet that speaks aloud.

Each AAC system is as unique as the person using it. What matters most isn’t the technology itself, but the understanding that communication is a human right, not something that needs to be earned through speech.

🧠 The Big Myth: “AAC Will Stop My Child from Talking”

Let’s address the ghost that haunts almost every AAC conversation — the fear that using AAC will prevent speech.

Here’s the truth: AAC does not stop speech development. In fact, research consistently shows that it can support it. When a child sees their words represented visually and audibly, it strengthens their understanding of language. It reduces frustration and builds confidence — both crucial for communication growth.

For many children, AAC provides the bridge they need to develop verbal skills. And for others, it becomes their lifelong mode of communication — equally valid, equally powerful.

AAC doesn’t replace the child’s voice. It reveals it.

🌍 Building a World That Listens

Supporting AAC users isn’t about fancy equipment — it’s about mindset. A neurodiversity-affirming approach means recognising that communication isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s respecting that echolalia, scripting, typing, or pressing a button to say “I’m done” are all meaningful expressions.

Our role, as adults, is to honour every attempt, model language on their AAC system, and never assume silence means disinterest. The little boy I mentioned earlier taught me that beautifully. His laughter when his device said “again!” after a fun activity, or the pride in his eyes when I waited for him to finish typing — those moments reminded me why this work matters. His voice still echoes through every session I run, every parent I coach, and every child I meet who deserves to be heard in their own way.

💛 This October, Let’s Celebrate Every Voice

So yes — October can have its ghosts and pumpkin spice. But for me, it will always be the month where we amplify all voices.Whether spoken, signed, typed, or tapped — every voice deserves to be heard, respected, and celebrated.