#aphonia

that’s cool that’s okay that’s not okay wow nice okay fine sure maybe definitely probably I guess I don’t know I’m not sure

love like hate dislike don’t like I like this I don’t like this I’m not a fan favorite least favorite

run walk jump skip hop push pull crash spin hit kick stomp throw catch climb crawl roll stretch rest

do can can’t will won’t is are am was were be being been

a an the to from of in on at with without for about if because before after while

he she they him her them his hers their theirs himself herself theirself

you your yours yourself

I me my mine myself

we us our ours ourselves

this that these those here there

and or but so yet nor also

all none some many few more less enough too much not enough

yes no maybe I agree I disagree

who what where when why how

what’s up? how are you doing? how are you feeling? what do you think? is this okay? is that okay?

good morning good afternoon good evening good night hi hello bye see you later have a good day

excuse me excuse you please thank you you’re welcome sorry I’m sorry my bad

knock it off stop wait hold on slow down please speak slower lower your voice too loud too bright too much too many people too much information

it’s up to you can you choose for me please I can’t decide surprise me too many options I need options

what was that? I didn’t hear you what did you say? could you repeat that? can you rephrase that? can you explain? can you explain it simpler? can you summarize? can you elaborate?

that’s a slur that’s not okay that’s racist that’s sexist that’s ableist that’s homophobic that’s transphobic don’t talk about me that way

I’m proud of you great job good job nice work that’s interesting

I don’t feel like talking right now I’m having a verbal shutdown I can’t speak right now I’m nonverbal/semiverbal/verbalflux ect speech is hard for me I’m too tired to speak

verbal speech isn’t superior AAC doesn’t hinder verbal development AAC stands for alternative and augmentative communication AAC is for everyone that benefits from it I use AAC AAC helps me communicate

please don’t look at my screen please don’t touch my screen I’m still typing please be patient

frog capybara zebra lion hippo rhino dino meerkat fish dolphin shark turtle rat mouse dog cat hamster penguin fox wolf flamingo cow pig horse goat snake chicken rabbit squirrel bear deer bird bat

pet leash collar animal food animal brush litter box

I’m all done I want more can I have more please

this tastes good this tastes bad

I don’t want it I’m still hungry I’m not hungry I’m full

food I like drinks I like safe foods

spoon fork knife plate bowl

breakfast brunch lunch dinner snack dessert

phone iPad charger TV laptop gaming console video game video games I like

meds medicine mobility aids

my name is my age is my birthday is my diagnosis is my address is

favorite color favorite animal favorite food favorite drink favorite movie favorite genre

my verbality label my support needs my special interests things I like things I don’t like

dentist orthodontist doctor nurse therapist speech therapist occupational therapist physical therapist lawyer cashier mechanic artist singer comedian advocate social worker

door window wall ceiling floor

behind in front of beside next to on top of under over around between inside outside across

left right up down top bottom middle

tape glue hot glue gun stickers pen pencil marker crayon colored pencil scissors washi tape paper yarn string beads construction paper googly eyes pom poms glitter

home store restaurant zoo aquarium gym library school

I feel better I feel worse I feel the same I need to think I’ll let you know

bumpy soft rough smooth spiky sharp dull shiny fluffy

tall short big small wide thin thick

red orange yellow green blue purple pink white black grey brown peach tan beige silver gold rose gold

quiet loud bright dim

kind funny silly cute honest blunt annoying rude mean boring

think sleep shower get dressed brush teeth put on deodorant brush hair

talk listen know

go leave stay

eat drink want need

year month week day hour

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

today tomorrow yesterday later soon

Christmas Halloween Hanukkah Diwali Yule Easter Valentine’s Day

body parts clothes shoes jacket hoodie

you’re awesome you’re nice you’re cute you are beautiful you look awesome I missed you I love you

I’m in pain I’m okay I’m tired I’m bored I’m dizzy I’m hot I’m cold I’m thirsty I’m itchy

I’m hungry I’m overstimulated I’m understimulated I’m on my period

I’m not ready I feel sick I don’t feel good I feel okay

I feel happy I feel sad I feel anxious I feel overwhelmed I feel calm I feel scared I feel confused I feel excited I feel uncomfortable

I need a break I need space I need help I need rest I need time I need a distraction I need something to keep my hands busy

I want to go home I want to be alone I want my headphones I want my blanket I want a fidget I want my stuffy I want to swing

can I have Tylenol can I have a hug can I have a pad or tampon can I go to the bathroom

can you talk for me please don’t talk for me

where is the bathroom? where are we going? where can I sit?

what are we doing next? what is that? what should I do?

when are we leaving? when will it start? when can I go? when will you be done?

why is that happening? why can’t I go? why are we doing this? why not?

square circle triangle heart star oval rectangle octagon hexagon pentagon cylinder

(optional )

What the fuck man? There were accommodations for that shit. I know there are accommodations, one of my friends in Highschool had CP and she used low tech AAC's sometimes.

But I didn't know I needed one cause I just had "quiet spells"

Just as I got into music, got back into singing, started relaxing after some super stressful months.

aphonia flag for anon! the border is meant to represent the voicebox, black represents the lack of or diminished sound/speaking, the red is for physical aphonia, the yellow is for psychogenic aphonia, the grey is for alternate forms of communication, the teal is for visibility and awareness. please let us know if you'd like alternatives or adjustments!

taglist: @radiomogai (ask if you wish to be removed or added).

Okay. So here's my understanding of the terminology:

Selective Mutism (Situational Mutism) This one seems to stem mostly from anxiety (maybe a little autism too). I don't experience that degree of anxiety often, but it has happened on rare occasions. Personally, I hate this term. It implies that not speaking is a conscious choice. I think situational is a more accurate word. "There are some situations in which my anxiety causes me to be unable to speak. This can be short term or long term. But it is by no means a deliberate, conscious decision on my part. It's more like my brain gets hyper-stimulated or something and just forgets how to make mouth noises."

Nonverbal This term appears to be specifically autism related mutism. I'm ADHD, not autistic, so I don't use this term for myself. And not being autistic, I can't really offer more information on the term.

Nonspeaking I guess this is an alternative to nonverbal that is less autism-specific. I guess. I don't actually know for sure. I'm not really sold on it, though, because kind of like "selective" mutism it kind of implies that a person can speak, but for whatever reason, chooses not to. Don't talk if you don't wanna talk. But I suppose people who are physically unable to talk might take umbrage with your conscious decision not to talk. I'm cool with it, though.

Dysphonia/Aphonia One means "messed up voice" and the other means "no voice at all". Aphonia is a neat word. Right up there with anhedonia. (Ahh, Greek!) I use the term spasmodic dysphonia because that's the official diagnosis I got from the ENT doctor. Apparently there's a more recent term laryngeal dystonia that seems to be preferred, but it doesn't seem to be taking root. So for now, I still have abductor spasmodic dysphonia that has rendered me aphonic. Whee!

Mute This word exists. I'm not sure if I like it, though. I don't have a good reason why I don't really vibe with it. Maybe it's because muting is something we can do to our television or computer or Zoom meeting, implying that it's reversible and temporary. Or maybe it's because in my ASL studies I've learned a little bit about deaf history and the connotations the word mute has.

There are other situations that can lead to loss of speech, like throat trauma, muscle tension dysphonia, aphasia, and probably a bunch more that I haven't even learned about yet.

Dysphonia Pride Flag

PT: Dysphonia Pride Flag /end PT

ID: a flag with seven stripes of the same size. Their colors are, from top to bottom, black, blue, cyan, saturated cyan, cyan, blue and black. end ID

Dysphonia, or voice disorder: any language dysfunction reflecting difficulties in producing speech sounds or other phonation disorders. Common types of dysphonia: organic dysphonia, functional dysphonia, puberphonia, puberum dysphonia, spasmodic dysphonia.

The colors I used are the colors of dysphonia awareness. Here are the stripes meanings:

Black stripes: fighting against ableism

Blue stripes: fighting for visibility

Light cyan stripes: community