AAC Awareness Month

We’re honored to share this month’s story written by Marissa Espinoza, mom to the incredible Karleigh. In this heartfelt post, Marissa opens up about her family’s journey with AAC and how finding the right communication tool has helped Karleigh’s personality, humor, and joy shine through in the most amazing ways.

Our daughter, Karleigh, has lived her whole life with a rare genetic condition called TUBB4A gene variant, which affects her mobility and speech. She is nonverbal and uses a wheelchair but that has never stopped her from shining bright. Since getting her AAC, her life has forever changed! In this post, we’ll share how this incredible tool has opened up endless opportunities for Karleigh, given her a voice she never knew she had, and helped us truly discover who she is.

What is an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device?

An AAC device is a communication system that helps individuals who are unable to speak express themselves through technology. It can range from simple picture boards to advanced speech-generating tablets.

For someone living with a TUBB4A gene variant, communication can be one of the toughest challenges. This condition can cause difficulty with motor skills, speech, and coordination, making it hard for those affected to share their thoughts and feelings. But with AAC, that barrier begins to fade, opening a doorway to self-expression, connection, and independence.

Our Story

When Karleigh first started using her AAC device, we didn’t know what to expect. What happened next was nothing short of magical. For the first time, we were able to truly hear her voice, her personality, her humor, and her heart.

Through her device, we learned that Karleigh loves music! We discovered that she’s funny and clever, always ready to play little tricks and make us smile. The girl who once had to rely on guesses and gestures could now tell us exactly what she wanted or how she felt.

Even more special, Karleigh has been able to communicate with her friends, building connections that were once out of reach. Watching her interact, joke, and express herself has been the most beautiful reminder that her voice was always there, just waiting for the right tool to let it out.

This Halloween, she’s most excited about something simple but monumental: trick-or-treating with her AAC device. For the very first time, Karleigh will be able to say “Trick or treat!” in her own voice. It’s a moment we’ll never forget and a symbol of how far she’s come.

Karleigh’s AAC device has not just changed her life, it has changed ours. It has allowed us to unlock who she truly is and given her the power to share that light with the world. Her story is a reminder that communication comes in many forms, and that every voice, no matter how it’s expressed, deserves to be heard.

We can’t wait to see all the new ways Karleigh will continue to use her voice to connect, laugh, and shine.