ALS is a progressive disease that weakens muscles throughout the body, including the bulbar muscles that control speaking and swallowing. ALS affects everyone differently, so there is no way to know in advance how your speech or ability to communicate might be affected. 

To make sure you always have an effective way to communicate, it is important to work with a speech language pathologist, plan ahead, and learn about your alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) options. The following pages provide an overview of some of the most important things you need to know.
We developed this educational content in collaboration with Bridging Voice and the Jay S. Fishman ALS Augmentative Communication Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.