Your first week with AAC — a quiet, practical guide

Bringing home an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) board is a big day. It is also, quite often, an underwhelming one — because the child doesn’t immediately use it, and the little voice in your head starts whispering that it “isn’t working.” That whisper is wrong. Here is what really happens in week one, and how to hold your nerve.

Day 1 – 2: modelling, not testing

Your only job in the first 48 hours is to use the board yourself. Talk as you normally do, but also press one or two symbols every few minutes as you speak. “Look — car.” “Want — snack?” This is called aided-language modelling and it’s the single strongest predictor of a child taking up AAC. You are teaching them what the tool is for.

Day 3 – 4: put the board in reach — everywhere

Communication only works if it is available. Keep the board on the kitchen counter, in the car, next to the bath — anywhere your child spends time. If it lives on a shelf it may as well not exist.

Day 5 – 6: honour every attempt

The first time your child presses a symbol — even by accident — respond as if it were a full sentence. Give them the thing they asked for. Say it out loud: “You said ball — here’s the ball.” This is when the penny drops.

Day 7: notice what changed

• Did your child glance at the board? That’s huge.
• Did they push it away? Also huge — they know it exists.
• Did they press one symbol? You’re ahead of the curve.

Ninety per cent of children who become confident AAC users didn’t make a single unprompted press in their first week. Please save this article and re-read it on day six.

What to avoid

Do not ask “show me drink” and wait. That’s a test, not a conversation. Neurodivergent children read the demand instantly and go still. Model, don’t quiz.

The Neuro Kids Space AAC board is designed for exactly this. Core vocabulary is already there; you can drop in photos of grandma, the cat, and your kid’s favourite snack in under a minute. Open the AAC Board tile whenever you’re ready.