#functionally nonverbal

My AAC plush!!!

Yes/no

Maybe/help

Hungry/thirsty

BELT strap AAC idea!!! Instead of shoulder strap AAC, its belt strap AAC on your waist to prevent shoulder fatigue from carrying around your shoulder!!

When I don't use my AAC to talk, I use my hands and point to things but my friend is like "omg just use your AAC" and then I tried typing on my AAC and I was able to communicate but then I forgot to say something else so I have to get my friend attention again with my hands gestures, and use my AAC again.

Sometimes I am just too lazy to use my AAC because hands gestures are quicker except I don't use sign language just my own hand language.

Since I can't talk 24/7 I usually just have lots of things in my mind that I want to communicate and sometimes I don't realize that I am not actually speaking and that my thoughts are still in my head. People get really confused with me because of that.

But using AAC can be frustrating because even though I am quick at it, the voice on my ipad resets and its like annoying to fix.

Some people do treat me like a child or a pet that doesn't understand language but I don't see it as an extreme way of being dehumanized.

I look at it as those trying to be sensitive and learning to navigate something they fear they don't understand without offending.

Sometimes when I feel people do this because I can't speak, I can understand why they feel scared to interact with me and don't want to accept their honesty and be open with their personality with me. It'snot because they want to purposely infantilize me like i am a child or pet, it's because they are afraid how I will react if they become honest and offend me.