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Alphabet board for hospital and stroke patients

When someone in hospital can't speak for now but can still spell, an alphabet board lets them point to letters and spell out what they need. Print this one for free.

When it fits

An alphabet board is for someone whose spelling still works, even though talking doesn't right now. For example:

• with a breathing tube
• after surgery, while talking is hard or not allowed yet
• after a stroke that has weakened the muscles used for speech, so words come out slurred or not at all (sometimes called dysarthria)

When it usually doesn't

A stroke can also cause aphasia: trouble with language itself, such as finding words, understanding, reading and spelling. When spelling is affected, pointing to letters is usually hard too, and a letter board may not be the right tool. Ask the care team, often a speech-language pathologist, what would suit the person best.

Print the board

Each PDF is one page and shows the board exactly as it looks in the TBoard app, including its number, delete, space and speak keys. In the free board builder you can make the letters bigger, take keys away, or build a board of a few words, like YES, NO and WATER.

Using it together

• Hold the board steady, where their hand can reach it.
• Say each letter out loud as they point, or write it down, so neither of you loses track.
• Read the word back, and let them show you whether it's right.
• If pointing is hard, point for them: move slowly along the letters and stop when they signal yes, with a nod or a blink.

If they can use a phone or tablet

TBoard is an app that puts the same board on an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone or tablet, and says what they spell out loud, so everyone in the room can hear it. For weak or shaky hands, Tap guard ignores a second tap that comes too quickly.

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