Success Stories

Finn: Momma Knows Best

My name is Mary Valderrama and I am a parent of a four-and-a-half-year-old with autism. I’m also an autism support teacher and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). As a result of wearing multiple hats, I have a slightly different perspective than most. My journey with AAC, specifically LAMP Words for...

Making The SGD Journey More Successful For Our Kids

As told by Christy Lemmons, Speech-Language Pathologist As a clinician, my heart goes out to the parents of my patients who are nonverbal. After 26 years as a speech pathologist who's worked with dozens of children at various ages and abilities, I have witnessed it all. I have had patients who were verbal within six...

Leah: The Power Of FUN

Leah came to my school in Fall 2020 as a 6th grader. She had a communication device with LAMP words for life but did not like to use it. She would push it away or put it face down on the table. Because of her dislike for the device, I decided to go back to the basics of FUN. We started playing games and being silly while...

Jonathan: A LAMP Words For Life Powerhouse

As told by Karla Strite, Special Education Teacher-Life Skills Support Jonathan came to my class in the fall of 2018 at the age of 12. While he had a VOD that was rather simplistic, it had obviously met his needs up to this point; however, he often had to be prompted to use it. The next school year (19-20), I started...

Kaylin: Making Magic On Her Own

Kaylin is like many 8 year-olds: Favorite color? Purple. Musical artist? Ed Sheeran. Movie? Beauty and the Beast (the live action, of course – not the cartoon!). But what sets Kaylin apart is that before this year, she wouldn't have been able to tell you any of these things. Kaylin has cerebral palsy, and along with...

How My Daughter Speaks

The Story of How My Nonverbal Child Learned to Communicate By Emily Renee Barton As a mom to a child who is nonverbal, I've felt so heavy for what life was supposed to be like. When I pictured having a baby, I pictured a typical developing child. I anticipated hearing "mama" as her first word and melting at the sound of...