Meet Naël
Our team at Smartbox France have been working closely with eight-year-old Naël, who uses Grid for iPad on his Talk Pad 10. AAC has become an important part of Naël’s everyday life, supporting his communication and helping him express himself more confidently at home, at school, and beyond. In this blog we explore his journey so far.
Communication is a fundamental part of how children connect with others. For eight-year-old Naël, finding the
right way to communicate has been key.
Naël is non-speaking, lives with complex disabilities, and uses a wheelchair. He observes the world around him with great attention and curiosity. Expressive, playful, and eager to connect, Naël has so much he wants to share; he simply needed the right way to do so.
He recently began using Grid for iPad on his Talk Pad, which is supporting him to communicate more clearly and share his thoughts and choices with the people around him.
Naël’s daily life
Each morning, Naël attends school with the support of a teaching assistant. While his family continues to explore specialist education options, his afternoons are spent at home, where they focus on creating opportunities for interaction, learning, and shared communication.
Naël does not use spoken language, but he has always found ways to communicate. Over time, he has shared his thoughts and feelings through pictograms, a small number of signs, and expressive eye contact. Until recently, however, he did not have a consistent way for his communication to be easily understood by everyone around him.
An association born from need and grown through solidarity
To help ensure Naël could access the equipment and support he needs to learn, communicate, and
participate in everyday life, his family created an association – L’espoir d’un pas. The aim was to support access to essential items such as mobility equipment, support systems, and communication tools, and to help navigate the practical challenges families can face when seeking the right support.
Through generosity and collective action, the association has grown over time. Today, it supports not only Naël, but also other children and their families by helping them access equipment and fund support projects – a shared effort rooted in connection, inclusion, and the belief that everyone deserves the right tools to communicate.
How Grid supports Naël’s communication
Since Naël began using the Voco Chat vocabulary in Grid, he has been able to share his thoughts and choices more clearly. He is particularly drawn to the visual display, which he finds engaging and motivating. The addition of voice feedback has been especially meaningful, allowing his voice to be heard and understood by the people around him, in the moment.
Grid also supports Naël to express more specific choices, helping others better understand his needs and reducing the frustration that can come from uncertainty. He can now communicate at his own pace, with increased clarity and confidence, supporting more comfortable interactions in everyday life.
“We’re so pleased that Naël now has a communication device with a voice that supports him to share his thoughts with the people around him. Given how much he wants to communicate, having a way for his messages to be heard and understood means so much to us.”
Pascaline, Naël’s mother
Thank you to Pascaline, Naël’s mother, for sharing their story with our team at Smartbox France. You can find the association L’espoir d’un pas on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
If you would like to share your own experience with AAC, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
