Augmentive and Alternative Communication (AAC) is all types of communication other than speaking.  AAC is a set of communication systems that help individuals can communicate without having physical speech. AAC is for individuals of all ages with conditions like cerebral palsy, autism, apraxia, and ALS that affect their ability to speak.  Augmentative = to add to someone’s speech  Alternative = to be used instead of speech  There are two types of AAC. Low-tech AAC is a type of AAC that provides physical communication features. Examples: communication chart/board, written communication, drawing, sign language, nonverbal communication High-tech AAC is a type of AAC that provides digital communication features. Examples: iPad, a text-to-speech app, texting, emailing, AAC-based communication device.  I am a person living with cerebral palsy which left me unable to speak. I use my iPad with a text-based AAC app called Proloquo4text (high-tech AAC tool) to communicate...

If you missed reading my story about birth and early childhood, you should read " My Story: Living with Cerebral Palsy, Part I: Birth and Early Childhood ". I am sharing the second part of my story with all of you. The second part of my story addresses how I navigated my school years with cerebral palsy. I attended the Perlman Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for preschool. The Perlman Center provides children with cerebral palsy and other physical conditions that can help them live full life. They also support adults with cerebral palsy and other physical conditions. They have great programs such as preschool education, assistive technology, and supportive therapy. I loved the preschool program. I enjoyed spending time with my classmates. I learned to read at age 3 and spell at age 5. I encountered an elderly pediatrician and volunteer, Dr. Peerless during my preschool years. He would walk in and sit with me each and every time. We headed to my house for dinner. I re...

I am an adult and I am navigating my daily life with cerebral palsy. As you may have known my life story, I cannot speak or walk on my own because of my cerebral palsy. (If you missed my life story, you should read “ My Story: Living With Cerebral Palsy, Part I: Birth and Childhood ” blog post) Also, I cannot feed myself, dress myself, and drive whereas I can walk with assistance, stand independently, and transfer to any seating positions. I use my iPad to talk to you every day. I occasionally use an alphabetical chart to communicate. I also use a wheelchair. I use leg braces that enable me to move and coordinate my legs actively.  Those supports are always necessary to help me live a healthy and active life and maintain my independence.  I am very independent but I require 24/7 care that meets my personal and compassionate needs. I am right-handed. I can easily hold objects with one hand. I can use my fully functional body to perform physical activities such as exercising, po...

I started falling in love with fashion when I was a little girl. I thought fashion would be my biggest dream and passion. From a little girl to a young beautiful woman, I would wear everything I want especially, pink which is my favorite color. I feel pretty obsessed with that color pink. Many grown-up girls wear everything pink. There are a lot of reasons why girls love pink. For instance, they behave like Barbie, pretend to be a girly-girl or a princess, and look beautiful as much as I do. Nobody can stop loving PINK ! As a little girl, I wore cute and adorable clothes including dresses, gym shoes, and Mary Jane shoes. I started wearing leg braces when I was a toddler because I needed the support due to my cerebral palsy. These leg braces can fit my comfortable shoes. I had short hair (my short hair looked like a tomboy lol). My hair started growing to be a medium length when I was around 13 years old. (In fact, I don't like short hair anymore because it's too tomboyish and t...

Although I could not speak on my own due to my cerebral palsy, I felt pretty frustrated and insecure about being nonverbal. However, it does not mean I have nothing to say. Now, I can communicate through my iPad. As I communicate with you, I want you to know that my CP doesn’t affect my mind at all and I don’t have any intellectual or cognitive issues. Cerebral Palsy is a neurological disorder caused by brain damage that affects a person’s ability to move, walk, and posture. Sometimes CP affects a person’s ability to speak which is caused by dysarthria. (Dysarthria is a speech disorder that causes muscle weakness in the neck or mouth. It can make it hard for people to speak. They may have trouble understanding what they do). People with cerebral palsy have different symptoms based on their physical abilities. Some people with cerebral palsy like myself cannot speak whereas others with cerebral palsy can speak or have speech impediments. Many people assume that people with nonverbal cer...

I was born prematurely on September 12, 1996. That day, as being 32 weeks pregnant,  my mama underwent an emergency c-section because she had miserable pains in her bump after admitting to the hospital two days before. I FINALLY made it @ 11:54 am! I weighed 5 lbs 5 oz. Shortly after my birth, I suffered from a traumatic stroke as a result of my diagnosis of cerebral palsy which leaves me unable to speak on my own. Me as a newborn baby girl.  Me as a newborn baby girl with my daddy  Me as a newborn baby girl with my mama  Me as a newborn baby girl Cerebral Palsy is a neurological disorder caused by brain damage which affects my ability to move, walk, and speak. The disorder also affects muscle coordination and balance. There’s no known cure for CP. However, people with cerebral palsy will need a wide range of medical care, therapies (physical therapy, occupational therapy, and/or speech therapy), mobility aids such as walking aids and wheelchairs, and/or assistive te...