CoughDrop founder Brian Whitmer found inspiration for the augmentative and alternative communication app (AAC) from his daughter. Due to Rett Syndrome, she is nonverbal, but as she grew older, Whitmer noticed she seemed “locked in” and eager to let her voice out. CoughDrop gives her and so many others the freedom to express themselves.
CoughDrop is Simple Yet Impactful
The app benefits users with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome and Rett syndrome, among others.
CoughDrop works through a simple, user-friendly interface of illustrated, electronically-voiced words and phrases.
Lindsay Waldrop of Utah Autism Academy recalls an instance in which the use of these simple buttons led to an emotional breakthrough for her son, who has autism.
“There was a particular time where Hayden was home, and I couldn’t figure out what he was upset about,” she said. “He clicked on (the button for) ‘head,’ and he clicked on ‘sad.’ I thought that was huge. That’s the first time he’s ever told me something about the way he was feeling, which was amazing.”
The app eventually gave him the confidence to use his speaking voice as well.
“We’ve seen his verbal and spoken language really blossom because of CoughDrop,” she said. “When he was pushing that button asking for something, it then became his habit to request it verbally.”
App Thrives Through Collaboration
CoughDrop allows users to work offline on any device through backup in the cloud, so if they drop their cell phone or tablet, they can just grab something else and keep chatting.
CoughDrop is also open source, allowing anyone to add words to the app or see and improve the code behind it.
This app continues growing and helping users thrive thanks to its collaborative quality, which allows parents, teachers and therapists to work together online in generating reports and monitoring progress.
The app is priced per communicator. Each communicator’s team of family members, educators and health professionals can sign up for free to join them on their journey. You can start with a free, full-featured, two-month trial to make sure Cough Drop is right for your patent, student or loved one. After that, you can choose the purchase option that works best for you.
“It costs less than your Netflix addiction, so helping someone get their words out doesn’t have to break the bank,” Whitmer said. “After all, just because someone can’t speak doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be heard.”
For more information, visit mycoughdrop.com.
