Functional Communication
Functional communication training teaches your child to request, refuse, and be understood in the moments that matter to them. It works with whatever communication system fits your child — speech, signs, pictures, or a device — because the goal is being understood, not any particular method.
What this looks like in your home
- Asking for a snack instead of leading you to the cabinet.
- Saying or signing “all done” instead of pushing a plate away.
- Asking for a break before frustration turns into a meltdown.
- Telling you which show, rather than crying when the wrong one starts.
- Letting you know something hurts.
Skills we commonly target
- Requesting items, activities, and help
- Refusing and asking for a break
- Protesting in a way that gets heard
- Commenting and sharing attention
- Answering simple questions
How sessions run
Communication is taught in the moments where your child already has something to say. A snack they want, a show they would rather not watch, a game they want to keep playing. Working in your home means those moments are real rather than staged, and the person your child is communicating with is often you rather than a therapist holding a card.
How progress is measured
Progress is tracked continuously using data collected during sessions. Goals are reviewed and adjusted as your child grows and changes.
Your role
What your child learns has to be honored by the people around them. When a request is understood and answered, the new way of communicating holds. We coach you and other caregivers through recognizing early attempts and responding to them, especially the quiet ones that are easy to miss in a busy kitchen.
Working with your child’s speech therapist
We coordinate with your child’s speech-language pathologist where there is one, so the approaches reinforce each other rather than compete. If a device or picture system is already in use, we use it too, rather than introducing a competing one. Where that coordination is helpful, care coordination is part of the program, and nothing is shared with another provider without your permission.
Being understood changes the rest of the day
Most families describe the same thing once communication starts working: the day has fewer dead ends in it. A child who can ask for a break has an option that is not escalation. A child who can name which show does not have to protest the wrong one. That is why behavior support and communication work almost always belong in the same conversation.
It also matters that communication grows outward. Requesting is usually where a program starts, but refusing, protesting, commenting, and answering questions are what let a child take part in a conversation rather than only ask for things. Which of those come first is decided with you, based on what your child is already doing and what would make the biggest difference at home.
Who delivers it
Sessions are delivered by a Registered Behavior Technician under ongoing supervision from your Board Certified Behavior Analyst, who designs the program, reviews the data, and updates goals.
Related services
Common questions
Does my child need to be verbal for this to help?
No. Functional communication training works with whatever communication system fits your child — speech, signs, pictures, or a device — because the goal is being understood, not any particular method.
How does communication work relate to challenging behavior?
Closely. A child who cannot yet ask for a break has to find another way to get one. Teaching a reliable way to request, refuse, or protest often addresses the same need a difficult behavior was meeting, which is why this work and behavior support usually run together.
Will you work with our speech-language pathologist?
Yes, where there is one. We coordinate with your child's speech-language pathologist so the approaches reinforce each other rather than compete, and we share goals and progress with your permission.
Who delivers the sessions?
A Registered Behavior Technician delivers sessions in your home under ongoing supervision from your Board Certified Behavior Analyst, who designs the program, reviews the data, and updates goals.