Communication looks different for everyone: How LifeScape helps kids like Jayce find their voice

This piece is sponsored by LifeScape.

When you meet 13-year-old Jayce, you quickly realize he has plenty to say. His smile, his quick gestures, his love of basketball — all are ways he communicates. And thanks to augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, Jayce has even more tools to share his thoughts with the world.

Jayce’s mom, Kelly Keiser, remembers how hard it was in the beginning.

“Jayce often knew what he wanted or needed but didn’t have the words to communicate it,” she said. “I remember asking if he wanted to play basketball. He looked confused — until his older brother showed him the ball. The moment he recognized it, his face lit up. Now, basketball is one of his favorite activities.”

Jayce receives therapy through LifeScape, where he works with speech-language pathologist Carrie Klinkhammer.

Together, they’ve found a blend of strategies that help Jayce express himself. Sometimes, that’s verbal speech. Sometimes, it’s gestures. And often, it’s his speech-generating device, the Wego 10.

“When others don’t understand him, Jayce uses his device to bridge the gap,” Klinkhammer explained. “Over time, he’s needed fewer reminders to use it, which has lowered his frustration and helped him connect more easily.”

AAC is often thought of as high-tech devices, but Klinkhammer stresses that it’s much broader.

“We all communicate in different ways. Babies begin with smiles and cries. Adults use gestures and facial expressions every day without realizing it. AAC can be anything from pictures and boards to recorded devices and eye-gaze technology. The key is honoring how someone chooses to communicate — and recognizing that it might look different every day.”

For Jayce, that means more independence and joy. He even has discovered that he can use his device to control Alexa, Amazon’s virtual voice assistant, at home. “It amazes me how motivated he is,” Keiser said. “When he asks Alexa to play one of his favorite songs and it works, he just lights up.”

LifeScape’s team works with children and adults who have communication challenges from conditions like cerebral palsy, ALS, Parkinson’s disease or strokes. For families like Keiser’s, the specialized services are critical.

“Being a single mom, if these services weren’t local, it would have been very difficult to get the help my kids needed,” she said. “LifeScape has been a blessing to us.”

And for Klinkhammer, the work is deeply personal.

“I’m passionate about giving others a voice, no matter what that looks like,” she said. “AAC isn’t one-size-fits-all. It takes time and creativity, but the result is empowering people to live their best life.”

Learn more about outpatient services at LifeScape here.