Happy National Speech-Language-Hearing Month! | Explore Support & Services for SLPs
Happy National Speech-Language-Hearing Month! | Explore Support & Services for SLPs
Every family’s AAC journey starts somewhere different, and for Shayna and her daughter Aria, it started with a single word that changed everything: AAC. Since February 2025, this mom-and-daughter duo has been learning, together, what it means to truly listen and not simply to hear.
Aria is a little girl who is finding her voice in ways the world does not always expect. Before she and her mom found the right support, Aria had been labeled at a previous center as “not ready” and “too young” for a communication device. That changed when Shayna sat down with a new SLP and, without even having the right words for it yet, described “the tablet where they press buttons and it talks for them.” Instead of dismissing the idea, her SLP met her in that moment and introduced her to AAC.
When the QuickTalker Freestyle arrived, Shayna admits she felt hopeful and overwhelmed in equal measure. There was no manual for unlocking everything the device could do for Aria, just a willingness to try. In the beginning, that meant a lot of modeling: saying words out loud, tapping them on the device, and wondering quietly whether any of it was sticking.
It was. Aria was watching and learning in her own way, on her own time. Slowly, the little moments started to add up: her first intentional button press, the first time she chose something instead of reaching or melting down. Today, Aria uses her device to tell Shayna what she wants while they walk through the grocery store aisles, to share her curiosity even when Shayna has to play detective to understand her, and to say “no,” not only through the device but with her whole body, advocating for herself and trusting that her mom will listen.
For Shayna, this journey has never been about perfection or having the right words at the right time. It has been about building trust: trust that Aria’s voice matters, trust that communication does not have to sound like spoken words to be powerful, and trust that showing up consistently is what makes the difference. Looking back at where they started in February 2025, Shayna does not just see progress. She sees connection.
There are still hard days, Shayna says, days when the device feels heavy again and progress feels slow. But she and Aria are not at the beginning anymore, and they are not at the end either. They are in the thick of it, and even there, Aria keeps showing her mom just how much she has to say.
Shayna’s advice to other families just starting out: give yourself grace, keep modeling even when it feels like silence, and trust that your child is learning even when you cannot see it yet.
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.