Frequency and correlates of augmentative and alternative communication use in an autistic inpatient sample.
In locked autism units, two in five youth already bring AAC, but White and younger kids still get it more often.
01Research in Context
What this study did
McQuaid et al. (2024) asked a simple question: how many autistic kids in locked hospital units already use AAC?
They surveyed 527 inpatients. Staff recorded age, race, and whether the child used any AAC at admission.
What they found
Two out of five youth arrived with AAC. Younger kids were more likely to have it.
White children had higher raw AAC use than non-White children.
How this fits with other research
Johnson et al. (2021) and Leaf et al. (2012) show AAC boosts speech and skills. A et al. now tell us who already owns these tools before they reach the ward.
Heald et al. (2020) found racial gaps in inpatient autism care vanish once you control for ability. A et al. spot a fresh gap: raw AAC access still favors White youth. The two studies do not clash; they track different slices of equity.
Jiang et al. (2026) proved caregiver training at home lifts AAC use. A et al. show the same kids carry those habits into the hospital, proving home gains travel across settings.
Why it matters
You cannot assume every non-speaking inpatient lacks AAC; many arrive with it. Check the chart, then keep the device in reach. If the child has no AAC, race and age flags can help you spot kids who may have been missed in earlier care. Push for equal access before discharge so gains made on the unit do not fade at home.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Although augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies are often used by autistic youth, little is known about the use of AAC in inpatient psychiatric settings. This study evaluated how demographic and clinical factors (e.g., language level, IQ) related to AAC use in a well-characterized sample of 527 autistic youth (78.7% male, mean age 12.94) who participated in the Autism Inpatient Collection. AAC use was common, with 42.5% of caregivers reporting at least one form of AAC. White children were more likely to use AAC than non-white children at the bivariate level. In regression analyses, young children were more likely to use AAC than older children. These results suggest the importance of provider training and improved equitable access to AAC.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2024 · doi:10.1044/aac22.2.79