munication is key
Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills
we have – it allows us to convey our thoughts, emotions, intentions and
objectives as well as helps to make connections with those around us.
Whether it’s telling someone how you feel, asking for help or simply having
a conversation with your friends, many of us don’t stop to think how
heavily we rely on verbal communication.
One in seven Australians has a communication disability which affects their
ability to listen or speak (ABS, 2015).
Complex communication needs come in many forms. It can mean you
have trouble understanding what others are saying, or you have difficulty
articulating or expressing yourself, or you cannot speak but have found
other ways to communicate.
For these people, it can be difficult to be heard and understood by the
people around them.
We know for children and adults with complex communication needs,
being able to voice thoughts and feelings is often a long and costly
process. Jane Board is mother to two children, Charlie and Ellie. Charlie
has cerebral palsy and a visual impairment.
“My son Charlie wasn’t able to speak until he was eight years old,” said
Jane.
“The hardest thing was not knowing what he was trying to say. It wasn’t
the requests for things like food or a toy, those were pretty easy to work
out. It was the fact that he couldn’t comment on things or tell us how he
felt or share a joke with us.
“When we went to our first Camp Have a Chat with CPL it was amazing.
We found different devices where Charlie could press buttons and they
would say what he was feeling and what he wanted,” she added.
CPL’s Camp Have a Chat is a program for children and teenagers with
complex communication needs to learn new ways to express themselves.
Charlie is ten years old now and has an Accent speech-generating device
with the LAMP Words for Life program which has picture symbols to say
words. This is used to improve Charlie’s communication, rather than
replace it.
“Now that he is learning to express himself, he is using his voice as much
as possible,” Jane said.
CPL – Choice, Passion, Life
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