I am sure like me most of the people reading this take their ability to speak for granted. I did until a girl in my teens who had been left non verbal as a result of a brain injury from an accident.
This encounter was humbling for me it made me truly realize how blessed I am to have the ability to speak. The experience also reminded me to be patient and remember that communicating with alternate means is a pain staking task that is often well worth the wait.
People often get frustrated by the communication tools used by people who are non verbal because of the time they take to have a conversation is lengthy but if you can learn a lot if you take the time.
Avoiding the frustration
Over the years having several friends with various means of communication I have learned a few tips a long the way
- wait until they finish their thoughts
- don’t guess what they are trying to say
- give them ample time to express themselves
I would be interested in your experiences with augmentative communication do you or your child use it? is it frustrating for you or them that people don’t take the time to listen to what they have to say.
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