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 final installment of our four-part video interview, we talk about progress monitoring: how should parents monitor their kid’s AAC progress from home so we can make sure our kids are getting the support they need? Be sure to check out part 1 of this series, which focuses on the benefits of remote AAC assessments and therapy; part 2, which covers how to make virtual AAC therapy sessions more fun and engaging, and how to be better communication partners for our kids; and part 3, which looks at AAC resources and devices and how to learn a new device alongside our kids.
We asked Undivided parents whose children use AAC devices to share their real-world advice with us. Here are some of their hard-won tips:
Write it all down: "We use Google sheets, and I track notes for our providers; each provider has a tab but they can all click around and see what's going on in the other fields. Track progress and challenges as they come up and share with your team, no matter how big or small. This will really help you remember what has happened since you last spoke with your team, and will also memorialize the progress." ~ Undivided member Leeza
Build trust across your team: "Have open honest conversations about what works and what does not for your child's acquisition of goals/ideas/virtual school has been a game-changer for us and this. It's easier for ABA to collaborate with speech over Zoom and it's easier to talk to the teacher when our child is taking a break. His teacher has been amazing at incorporating suggestions and testing them honestly. ~ Undivided member Anu
Be patient: "It will take work and time, so don't get discouraged if the progress is slow. Any progress is good progress!" ~ Undivided member Addie
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