6 Signs Your Child’s Communication System Needs an Update

6 Signs a Child Needs a New Communication Strategy

Help teachers spot when PECS, AAC, or other methods need an update.

You know your pupils. You know when something’s off.

Maybe a child’s progress stalls, they stop using their communication book or device, or meltdowns return out of nowhere.

These aren’t just bad days. They’re signs that their communication strategy might not be working anymore.

Children who use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) or tools like PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) often need regular reviews. Just like spoken language develops, so should the systems children rely on to express themselves.

Here’s how to spot when it’s time to update, change, or completely overhaul a child’s communication method, before frustration boils over.

1. They’ve Stopped Using Their Current System

You offer the PECS book—they push it away. Their speech device gathers dust. Symbols get ripped, ignored, or thrown.

This is one of the biggest red flags.

Children stop using communication tools when those tools no longer meet their needs. Maybe the vocabulary doesn’t match their interests anymore. Maybe they’ve outgrown single-word requests and need more language options. Maybe the setup is just too slow or clunky for how fast their brain is moving.

What to look for:

• Refusal to engage with familiar AAC tools
• Signs of frustration when asked to use the current method
• Sudden reliance on behaviour (shouting, grabbing, crying) instead of their system

What to do:

• Don’t assume the child is ‘choosing not to communicate.’ Assume something’s missing.
• Re-assess with your school’s SaLT (Speech and Language Therapist) or communication lead.
• Involve the child—what are they trying to say that isn’t available?

2. Their Language Has Outgrown the System

Some systems are built for beginners—one symbol, one word. They’re great for early requests like “toilet” or “more crisps.”

But children don’t stay at that level forever. Their needs, thoughts, and preferences become more complex. They want to tell jokes, express opinions, or describe things in detail.

If the current system only allows for basic requesting, it can’t grow with them. That’s when you’ll see confusion, boredom, or withdrawal.

Signs this is happening:

• The child tries to combine symbols that don’t exist in their book or device
• They use speech more for social language, while AAC is stuck on “I want”
• There’s a growing gap between what they understand and what they can express

What to do:

• Consider adding core vocabulary to allow full sentences, not just naming objects
• Explore dynamic display devices or paper-based systems that support more functions
• Ask: “Can this system help them say what they want to say?” Not just what we expect.

3. Meltdowns or Behaviour Regressions Have Returned

Communication breakdowns cause emotional explosions.

If you suddenly see more behaviours of concern, self-injury, shutdowns, or school-based anxiety, especially around transitions or choices, that’s your cue to zoom in on communication.

Often, these behaviours aren’t new. They’re old tools resurfacing because the child feels unheard again.

Clues it’s linked to communication:

• Distress increases when choices are limited
• Meltdowns happen during group discussion or busy classroom times
• They stop asking for preferred items, or ask less often

What to do:

• Observe carefully: What happens right before the behaviour?
• Keep a simple ABC log (Antecedent–Behaviour–Consequence) to track patterns
• Consider if the child is trying to say: “I don’t have the words for this moment.”

4. Adults Are Over-Interpreting

Watch the staff working with the child. If everyone finishes their sentences, guesses what they mean, or translates unclear pointing into full requests… there’s a problem.

It means the child isn’t clearly understood without heavy adult scaffolding.

This creates two risks:

1. The child becomes dependent on guesswork
2. They stop trying to communicate altogether

No matter how caring the staff are, interpreting is not communication. It removes independence.

You might hear:

• “We just know what he wants by his look”
• “She only needs the symbols sometimes”
• “He always has crisps after lunch so we just give them to him”

What to do:

• If a stranger walked into the room, could they understand the child’s system?
• Make sure the system is visible, accessible, and used in real-time—not just sitting on a shelf
• Build in opportunities for independent initiation, not just response

5. The System Isn’t Accessible Throughout the Day

Some children only have their AAC device during speech therapy. Others leave PECS in a bag at playtime. For children with limited or no speech, this is like taking their voice away.

Communication systems must go where the child goes. If it’s too bulky, fragile, or slow, it won’t work in real life.

Look for these warning signs:

• No system available outdoors or in noisy spaces
• Staff say things like “We didn’t bring it today” or “It’s charging”
• The child doesn’t use their system outside of structured lessons

What to do:

• Audit how often and where the system is used
• Explore portable options—laminated lanyard cards, smaller devices, voice buttons
• Involve the child in choosing tools that match their preferences

6. The Child Uses Speech, But Misses Key Needs

Here’s a sneaky one.

Some children have emerging speech or speak in full sentences—but they still miss key communication needs.

They may repeat scripts, talk socially, or answer questions but can’t:

• Ask for help
• Refuse politely
• Tell you they’re in pain
• Explain emotions

This often goes unnoticed in chatty kids who seem verbally able but mask their true needs.

Red flags include:

• Escalation without warning (e.g., laughter → tears → meltdown)
• Reliance on stock phrases that don’t quite fit the moment
• Difficulty with emotional literacy or self-advocacy

What to do:

• Add visual emotion scales, help scripts, or simple “I feel…” cards
• Don’t remove AAC just because speech has appeared
• Blend multimodal options: signs, speech, symbols, and tech

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Bonus Tip: Involve the Child from Day One

Updating a communication system isn’t just about symbols and settings. It’s about giving the child control.

When a child helps shape their system, choosing topics, colours, photos, they’re far more likely to use it. Ownership leads to motivation.

You might say:

• “What words are missing?”
• “Do you want this to be a photo or a picture?”
• “Where would you like this button to go?”

Even non-verbal pupils can answer with pointing, gestures, or eye gaze. Honour those answers.

What Teachers Can Do To Support Communication In Class

Here’s your quick-start list for identifying and updating outdated communication systems:

✅ Watch for frustration, refusal, or regression
✅ Check the system matches their current language level
✅ Look at when and where the system is actually used
✅ Ask if adults are doing the talking for them
✅ Keep AAC in play even when speech emerges
✅ Include the child in every change

And most importantly: keep communication central. Not just as a therapy goal or EHCP/IEP target, but as the foundation of every learning day.

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Recommended Resources and Tools (UK-Based)

If you’re ready to explore better systems or upgrades, here are some starting points:

Communication Tools and Devices

• The Sensory Projects PECS Printables
• Techcess – Suppliers of high-quality AAC devices
• The ACE Centre – AAC assessment and training
• CENMAC – Support for tech-assisted learners in London schools

Visual Supports

• Twinkl – Editable communication boards
• Widget Online – Create symbol-based materials
• Do2Learn – Visual emotion cards and routines

Further Reading

• “Communication Matters” UK-wide AAC organisation: https://www.communicationmatters.org.uk
• “How to Know If Your Child Needs AAC,” Understood.org
• “Signs That Your Child’s AAC System Needs a Change,” ASHA.org