Communication is behaviour with a purpose
A child communicates whenever a behaviour gets something done — reaching, leading an adult by the hand, crying, dropping an item, looking away. All of it is communication. The first job is to notice what your child already does, and respond to it as if it were an attempt, because it is.
Create opportunities on purpose
Place a preferred item where it is visible but out of reach. Give a small portion so more is needed. Use a favourite snack that requires an action to open. Pause mid-song or mid-game and wait. These are not tricks; they are the everyday version of what a therapist does in a session.
Accept all forms of communication
Accept every form of communication your child uses — speech, signs, gestures, pictures, a device, or an assistive app. Accepting one form does not prevent speech from developing; punishing or ignoring it does far more harm. If your child uses an AAC device, use it with them, model on it, and let them use it to say no.
Model the word, then wait
Rather than testing — 'what's this? say it!' — model the word once and give the child a few seconds. Tests create pressure; models supply information. Families who switch from quizzing to modelling usually see more attempts, not fewer.
Respond to no
If your child communicates a refusal and you honour it, you have just taught them that communication works — the single most important lesson in the whole programme. A child who learns that protest is useless will use behaviour to protest instead.
Key takeaways
- Treat all behaviour as communication and respond to attempts immediately.
- Engineer daily opportunities where communicating is genuinely worthwhile.
- Accept AAC, signs, and gestures; honour a communicated no.
General information only. These articles are general education, not clinical advice or a diagnosis. Your child's programme should always be individualized by a qualified clinician who has actually assessed them.