AAP Clinical Report: Prescribing Assistive Technology
Focus on Children With Complex Communication Needs
Larry W. Desch, MD, FAAP; Laura J. Hobart-Porter, DO, FAAP, FAAPMR; Amy Houtrow, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAP; Council on Children With Disabilities
June 16, 2025
The primary care pediatrician and other pediatric physicians play a critical role in the interdisciplinary team effort to provide appropriate augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology to children with absent or severely impaired verbal communication, recently recategorized as a complex communication need.
This clinical report describes the different types of AAC technology, the device assessment process, and the training required for successful integration into a child’s communication. The report further describes the role of the pediatrician in acquisition and appropriate utilization of this technology with a focus on key specialists and funding sources.
Read the AAP Clinical Report.
