Little Words is a patient, playful AI companion that practices speech and communication with your child every day - built especially for neurodivergent kids (autism, ADHD, apraxia) and any family that wants real 1-on-1 practice without the pressure.
Free to join. We'll only email you when it matters.
My daughter turned 4 in September. She has a pretty significant speech delay, some sensory sensitivities, big emotions, and a mind that moves in its own beautiful way. She's in speech therapy once a week for 45 minutes. She has an OT. She has evaluations. But between all those appointments, I felt like I was supposed to be doing so much more at home and didn't know how.
The flashcards would last two minutes before a meltdown. The exercises from her therapist assumed she'd sit still, make eye contact, and repeat on command. But that's not how her brain works. And the harder I pushed, the more she shut down.
I'm an engineer. I work with AI. So I started building something - just for her. A little character called Buddy that meets her where she is. No eye contact required. No sitting still. Just a patient voice that plays with her on her terms.
It's still early. But watching her choose to practice - without being asked - told me this was worth building for every neurodivergent kid whose parents are searching for something that actually fits how their child's brain works.
Waitlists. Rigid exercises. Tools that assume every child learns the same way. Whether your kid is autistic, has ADHD, apraxia, or just needs more practice than 45 minutes a week allows - you already know the gap between what exists and what they actually need.
Most tools assume a neurotypical child. Sit still. Make eye contact. Repeat after me. But your kid's brain doesn't work that way - and when tools don't flex, kids shut down and parents burn out.
You sit down with the flashcards. They resist. You push. Sensory overload hits. Meltdown. You feel guilty. It's not that you're doing it wrong - it's that the tools weren't designed for how your child processes the world.
Your child understands far more than they can express. You see it in their eyes, their frustration, their workarounds. They're brilliant - they just need a way to get it out that works with their brain, not against it.
Buddy adapts to your child's sounds, sensory needs, interests, and pace. No drilling. No worksheets. No demands. Just a warm, patient voice that meets your kid exactly where they are.
"Let's be snakes! Sssssss!" Practices target sounds like S, R, L, TH through silly games - not flashcards that trigger shutdown.
"Pretend I'm a new friend at the park - what could you say?" Builds social communication through low-pressure scenarios for kids who find social situations overwhelming.
Taking turns. Asking questions. Telling stories. The daily back-and-forth that builds language naturally - without requiring eye contact or sitting still.
When things get hard - overstimulation, frustration, shutdown - Buddy shifts to breathing games, naming feelings, and calming activities. No meltdowns, just co-regulation.
Too easy? Buddy levels up. Overwhelmed? Buddy pulls way back. Stimming? That's fine. Every session meets your child's nervous system where it is right now.
See what they practiced, how they did, what's improving. Share reports directly with your SLP, OT, or developmental pediatrician.
"So is this replacing therapy?"
Not even a little. Think of it this way: your child practices piano at home between lessons, even though you're not a piano teacher. That home practice is what makes lessons click. Little Words is the same idea - daily practice between therapy sessions, guided by real techniques, delivered through play. Your SLP, OT, and developmental team provide the expertise. Buddy provides the reps - in a way that actually works for how your child's brain is wired.
The biggest insight from building this for my daughter: she'll do with Buddy what she won't do with me. For ND kids, removing the social pressure isn't a nice-to-have - it's everything.
Neurodivergent kids are hyper-aware of micro-reactions. A tiny frown, a sigh, a correction that comes too fast - it all registers and amplifies. Buddy responds with the same warmth on attempt one and attempt fifty. No judgment to decode.
Buddy talks about dinosaurs and space and whatever your child loves - including the deep special interests that light them up. The speech exercises are woven into their world, not forced into someone else's curriculum.
ND kids often need more reps but tolerate fewer demands. Your child will practice the same sound 30 times in a Buddy session without realizing it, because it's disguised as a game they chose. Try getting 30 reps with a flashcard.
Some days your child is regulated and chatty. Some days they're overstimulated before breakfast. Buddy is there at 7am or 8pm, for 5 minutes or 20. No appointments. No transitions. Just open the app when the window is there.
My son is autistic and has apraxia. He used to cry before speech practice. Now he asks to talk to Buddy every morning before school. The change in his confidence - I can't even put it into words.
My ADHD daughter can't sit through 5 minutes of flashcards but will chat with Buddy for 20 minutes because it feels like playing. As an SLP, I'm cautious about tech - but this actually gets the reps we need.
We waited 8 months for an autism eval. 3 more for a speech slot. Having something to work with in the meantime - something built for how my daughter's brain actually works - changed everything for us.
Privacy and safety aren't features. They're the foundation.
Parental consent required. Data minimized. Voice processed, never stored.
Your child's data is never shared, sold, or used for ads. Period.
Request complete data deletion whenever you want. Automatic limits built in.
Every exercise built with licensed speech-language pathologists.
Help us build the tool these kids actually deserve. Founding Families get lifetime access, direct input on what we build, and the lowest price we'll ever offer.
Will be $19/month at launch
Stripe checkout. Full refund anytime before launch.
Yes. Buddy was built for exactly this. For pre-verbal or minimally verbal kids, Buddy starts with sound play, turn-taking, and gentle prompts - not words. There's no demand for eye contact, no requirement to sit still, and no scripts to follow. Every sound, every attempt, every tiny step forward gets celebrated. Progress looks different for every child, and Buddy is built for that.
That's exactly why we built it as play, not practice. Kids with ADHD can hyperfocus on things that interest them - Buddy taps into that by weaving speech exercises into games, stories, and topics your child actually cares about. Sessions can be 5 minutes or 20. No timer, no pressure, no "sit still and repeat after me."
Little Words is designed for children ages 3-10. We built it especially for neurodivergent kids - autism spectrum, ADHD, apraxia of speech, sensory processing differences, Down syndrome - but it works beautifully for any child with speech or language delays, or any family that simply wants consistent, patient 1-on-1 practice at home. Buddy adapts to the whole child, not just a single diagnosis.
The opposite. Buddy's voice is calm and consistent - no sudden sounds, no visual clutter, no unpredictable transitions. If your child shows signs of overstimulation, Buddy automatically shifts to regulation activities. Your child controls the pace. Always.
Fully COPPA compliant. Parental consent required before anything happens. Voice is processed in real-time and never permanently stored. We collect the minimum data needed, never sell it, and you can request complete deletion anytime.
Absolutely - that's one of the most valuable features. Your dashboard generates session summaries and progress reports designed to share with your SLP, OT, behavioral therapist, or developmental pediatrician, so your whole team can see what your child practiced at home.
We're targeting Spring 2026 for iOS and Android. Founding Families get first access. If we don't launch by Summer 2026, every founding member gets a full refund - no questions asked.
Every sound is a victory. Every attempt matters. Every child deserves a patient friend who meets them exactly where they are.
We'll email you the moment Little Words is ready. Want to go further? Founding Families get lifetime access and a direct line to shape what we build.