Happy National Speech-Language-Hearing Month! | Explore Support & Services for SLPs
Happy National Speech-Language-Hearing Month! | Explore Support & Services for SLPs
Welcome to ableFamilies in Real Life, a series celebrating the real families behind every AAC journey. This time, we are heading to Texas to meet Jasmine and her son Jayden, a 10-year-old who is approaching one year with his QuickTalker Freestyle. Their story is about consistency, a little creativity, and a boy discovering that his words are truly his own.
Jayden is the youngest in a busy family of four: mom Jasmine, dad Lance, big brother Lance II, and two dogs. Both boys are on the autism spectrum, and as Jasmine puts it, their autism is nothing alike. The QuickTalker Freestyle is Jayden’s second talker, but it is the first one he has been interested in using in more than one place.
When Jayden first got his QuickTalker Freestyle, Jasmine assumed the transition would be easy. It is an iPad, after all. She quickly learned otherwise. Jayden still preferred to point and grab for anything within reach, and getting him to carry the device from place to place took time.
What helped most was consistency, plus a creative assignment from his ABA team. His BCBA gave the family snack-time homework: every day, Jasmine used the talker at least five times in a five-minute window. “If she had not assigned it, I probably would not have thought about it like that,” Jasmine shared.
The real turning point came when the family started accessorizing. Once they changed the wallpaper to include Jayden’s name, he wanted to carry it more. Today, when Jayden is heading somewhere, he is starting to realize he needs to bring his talker along. At home, the family works on both sides of communication. “Communication is not just about talking, but also listening,” Jasmine said, and one of the ways they teach listening is by listening.
One recent afternoon, Jasmine was sitting outside when Jayden grabbed his talker off the table, came outside, and, all on his own, found and pressed the “bubbles” button. The bubbles were sitting on the table right in front of her. It was a small moment that said a lot: Jayden knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew his talker could help him ask for it.
That is the kind of change Jasmine sees every day. The QuickTalker Freestyle gets Jayden to his wants faster, with fewer meltdowns. “Imagine if you wanted some pretzels that’s beside 5 other bags of chips and you have to point and play the guessing game,” she said. “That would make me frustrated too.” These days, Jayden is realizing that these are his words, and he gets things quicker when he uses them. His favorite word on the device right now? “Tickles.”
For families just getting started, Jasmine has two big tips: use the warranty, and accessorize. “Let your child help you accessorize their device,” she said. “Because at the end of the day it’s theirs.”
The family draws strength from a favorite quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” For Jasmine and Jayden, that belief, paired with steady everyday practice, is helping a new way of communicating become part of who Jayden is.
Stay tuned for more real-life stories from ableFamilies across the country. Want to share your family’s journey or have a question? Our Parent Enthusiasts are here for you. You can also explore additional resources, guidance, and community connections on our SupportHub.