Paeds Vivas · growth-development-and-behaviour
AAC and assistive technology — branching viva
Structured oral on early AAC, PECS/SGD evidence, seating/access, powered mobility and hospital communication safety.
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Study tools
Target exams
RACP DCEMRCPCH Clinical
Prompt
Developmental clinic: preschooler with complex communication needs; family worried AAC will stop speech; school reports device sits unused.
Opening (2–3 minutes)
Examiner: How will you open this consultation? [13]
Strong answer: Ask the family’s goals for what the child needs to communicate this month. Validate worry about speech. State that AAC is multi-modal and can run with speech attempts. Map current means and failure points at home and preschool. [2] [13]
References7ShowHide
- [1]Flippin M Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on communication and speech for children with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis. American journal of speech-language pathology, 2010.PMID 20181849
- [2]Gevarter C Naturalistic Speech-Generating Device Interventions for Children With Complex Communication Needs: A Systematic Review of Single-Subject Studies. American journal of speech-language pathology, 2018.PMID 29971336
- [3]Therrien MCS A Systematic review of AAC interventions using speech generating devices for autistic preschoolers. Augmentative and alternative communication (Baltimore, Md. : 1985), 2025.PMID 40164143
- [9]Logan SW Powered Mobility Device Use and Developmental Change of Young Children with Cerebral Palsy. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 2023.PMID 37232636
- [11]Acharya BD Effect of Adaptive Seating Systems on Postural Control and Activity Performance: A Systematic Review. Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association, 2023.PMID 37747975
- [13]Resina P Identifying and Describing Best Clinical Practices for Children and Adolescents With Complex Communication Needs: A Scoping Review of Healthcare-Based Interventions. Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2025.PMID 40745993
- [14]Coan-Brill J Exploring augmentative & alternative communication assessment practices for children with limited functional speech & motor skills: a scoping review utilizing the Participation Model of AAC. Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology, 2025.PMID 39891921