When a child can say, “I want a hug”

Unicef in Belarus

15th June 2026

When a child can say, “I want a hug”

How assistive technologies help children with severe disabilities communicate and learn

Roma presses a brightly colored button on communication device. A voice says out loud: “I want a hug!” He freezes for a second, then suddenly lights up: he smiles, looks at his teacher and immediately presses the button again. “There were such excited cries in the room,” his special needs teacher recalls. “It was pure childhood joy.”

https://www.unicef.org/belarus/en/stories/when-child-can-say-i-want-hug