Mid August 2026: AAC - Giving Pippa a Way to Communicate

One of the things we have started exploring very early with Pippa is AAC, which stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

That sounds very technical, but really it just means finding ways for someone to communicate when speech is difficult or not yet there.

And at Pippa’s age, we are not expecting her to suddenly start “talking” with a device.

Right now, a lot of it is much more basic than that.

It is about cause and effect.
If I look at this, something happens.
If I choose this picture, I get that thing.
If I make a choice, somebody responds.

That understanding is a huge building block for communication later on.

Pippa has been trying an eye-gaze device, which tracks where she is looking on the screen and lets her make choices just by using her eyes.

And one of the moments that really made us all sit up was Little Einsteins.

She was given choices on the screen and kept choosing Little Einsteins.

Again.
And again.
And again.

Could some of that be chance? Of course.

But when a child repeatedly goes back to the same choice, you start paying attention.

Because that is the whole point of this stage: helping her understand that her choice can make something happen.

And giving her a reason to want to do it again.

The technology itself is incredible.

The price is also incredible, unfortunately — and not in the good way.

A proper eye-gaze communication system can cost many thousands of dollars, and then you enter the world of evaluations, reports, insurance requirements, trials and proving that it is medically necessary.

So this is one area where Lelly has been shamelessly pulling in a few favours!

I have worked in assistive technology for a long time, so I have been reaching out to people I know in the AAC and AT world, asking questions, arranging demos, finding people who really understand eye gaze and trying to make sure Mollie and Ethan get good advice without wasting precious months going down the wrong road.

We are very lucky to have some wonderful people willing to help.

There is still a long way to go, and nobody is assuming that one particular device is definitely the answer.

For now, the goal is much simpler:

Give Pippa opportunities to make choices.
Watch what she understands.
Follow her lead.

And make sure she learns, as early as possible, that when she communicates, people listen.