Inpatient Augmentative Communication Program

In March 2020, with a rise in COVID-19 cases across the United States and the start of the global pandemic, our inpatient and outpatient speech-language pathologists mobilized efforts to create preparatory materials for patients requiring hospital care. Along with Child Life specialists in the Autism Spectrum Center and the ASC’s Family Advisory Committee, the My Hospital Planning Packet was created. The packet includes information related to hospital practices during the pandemic, “go bag” packing recommendations, a communication passport template, and visual communication aid templates (e.g. token reinforcement boards, social stories, and countdown schedules). The team also created various My Hospital Stories to support children’s understanding of upcoming hospital visits and COVID-19 testing, including the following topics:

• Preparing for a visit in Boston
• Preparing for a visit in Waltham
• Wearing a mask
• Getting tested for COVID-19
  • Throat swab for those without symptoms
  • Nasal swab for those with symptoms
  • Drive-up test in Boston
  • drive-up test in Waltham

Members of our team support local, national, and international efforts to educate, inform, and impact bedside communication enhancement practices. This includes mentorship and collaborative relationships with hospitals in Boston, across the nation; and internationally, presentations and workshops at conferences and participation in the Patient Provider Communication Network. Through this collaborative work, we aim to support research, innovations, and discussions to promote patient-provider communication between patients who have communication vulnerabilities and their providers ahead of or during healthcare encounters.

In 2009, Boston Children's Augmentative Communication Program was invited to join The Joint Commission in developing nationwide standards of care for patients who are communication vulnerable. In partnership with The Joint Commission, John M. Costello, MA, the director of Boston Children's Augmentative Communication Program, participated in a 2009 webinar, "Call to Action: Improving Care to Communication Vulnerable Patients.” We are pleased to have been part of the large multidisciplinary national committee that helped launch the 2010 Joint Commission Standard for Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Family Centered Care.

In 2002 the Boston Children's Hospital Medical Symbol Set was created to better support the communication needs of patients by representing unique vocabulary related to hospitalization. Because the dedicated augmentative communication service Boston Children's offers is extremely unique, in 2008 the creator of the Vidatak EZ Board teamed with Children's to create the Vidatak Picture Communication Board.

Through this collaboration, the Boston Children's Hospital Medical Symbol Set is available to patients whose medical provider does not have the ability or dedicated staff available to create custom communication boards.

For more information, visit www.vidatak.com.

(Bolded authors are employees in the Department of Otolaryngology and Center for Communication Enhancement at Boston Children’s Hospital.)

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• Costello, J. (2009, December 1, 2009). Last Words, Last Connections: How Augmentative Communication Can Support Children Facing End of Life. The ASHA Leader, 13(16).
• Costello, J. (2000). AAC intervention in the intensive care unit: The Children's Hospital Boston model. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 16(3), 137-153. doi:10.1080/07434610012331279004