How to Make Virtual Therapy More Fun and Engaging for Kids

We sat down with LA–based speech and language pathologist Rachel Madel (MA, CCC-SLP), who specializes in AAC and working with children with autism, to find out how we can get our kids the support they need.

In this second installment of our four-part video interview, we look at how to make virtual AAC therapy sessions more fun and engaging, what a great virtual session should look like, and how to be better communication partners for our kids. Be sure to check out part 1 of this series, which focuses on the benefits of remote AAC assessments and therapy.

We asked Undivided parents whose children use AAC devices to share their real-world advice with us. We’ll be passing along their hard-won tips and wisdom throughout this series.

• "Parents need to stop talking so much! Give your child space to communicate; don't jump in and assume you know what they want or need to say. Let them try to figure it out, and model some options on the device if they are unsure." ~ Undivided member Leeza

• "Let them enjoy exploring the device. We also use reinforcers to help our son remain engaged in virtual therapy." ~ Undivided member Gemina

• "Make it fun, and incorporate highly motivating things like a favorite toy or food item. The more motivated your child is, the more likely they will be to use the device." ~ Undivided member Addie

• "Always come back to: are we teaching them to independently communicate? What can we do to facilitate this?" ~ Undivided member Anu