Teletherapy
As families adjust to this “new normal” and children learn new routines, there’s something that can stay consistent amid all of this change: speech and language therapy. Many speech-language pathologists, as well as other related professionals, are offering teletherapy to ensure continued progress towards therapy goals and reduce the risk of regression.
What is teletherapy?
Teletherapy is the delivery of professional services (assessment, intervention, or consultation) through an online platform, usually involving video conferencing. These virtual sessions are evidence-based, and are an excellent alternative to in-person therapy. Traditionally, teletherapy sessions connected a clinician with a client who couldn’t participate in face-to-face sessions, usually due to distance. Today, teletherapy sessions are being used to keep families and therapists healthy and safe at home while supporting social distancing.
Who is a candidate for teletherapy?
Teletherapy works for a wide range of clients.
Infants and toddlers: While it isn’t expected (or recommended) that infants attend to a screen, their parents can benefit from coaching and strategy-based interventions that they can use throughout their daily routines. Often, the therapist and the parent will talk about a particular communication goal that the family wants to achieve. The therapist will provide suggestions, and then the parent will interact with the child while the therapist observes. In real time, the clinician can provide suggestions to the parent that will make interactions with their child more effective. The same method can often be used with toddlers. Additionally, some toddlers may benefit from direct instruction from the speech-language pathologist while the parent supports their child in terms of attention, behavior, and technological support.
School-age children: For many children, the leap from face-to-face therapy to teletherapy isn’t a particularly large one, as they are already familiar with using technology. Now more than ever, virtual sessions are part of their daily lives: school, music lessons, etc. can all be found online. Younger children and those with greater needs may benefit from a parent or other “helper” with them to facilitate the session and to redirect them if there are attentional or behavioral concerns. The majority of children, though, are able to participate in their sessions independently. In this age group, teletherapy is great for those working on speech sound production, language, fluency, voice, and literacy.
Of course, teletherapy is not a “one size fits all” format. Certain children may not be appropriate for teletherapy. If you aren’t sure if your child is a good candidate for teletherapy, reach out to your therapist to discuss your options. In some cases, a consultation model may be more beneficial.
Will my child be successful with teletherapy?
Research shows that teletherapy can be just as effective in helping children reach their speech and language goals as face-to-face therapy. At home, there are several things you can do to set your child up for success.
- Be available during the session if your child requires a helper.
- Designate a therapy space. Routine is important; therapy should take place in (mostly) the same location. This may be at the kitchen table for children engaged in feeding therapy. For teenagers, this may be at their desk.
- Log on to the therapy platform a couple of minutes before the scheduled start time of the session. This allows for a little wiggle room in the event of technical difficulties. It also gives your child time to transition from their previous activity so they are focused and ready to learn.
- Limit distractions. Keep background noise to a minimum as much as possible. Turn off the television, remove non-therapy-related toys from the immediate area, and have siblings work or play in another room.
- Consider headphones. Headphones are great for limiting distractions and helping children focus. If possible, headsets with a microphone are best, especially for children working on speech sounds. This allows the clinician to hear their productions more accurately.
If you have questions about teletherapy or would like to enroll your child, contact The Speech Studio at (914) 893–2223 or visit our website at thespeechstudiony.com. A licensed and certified speech-language pathologist will work with you to provide your child with personalized treatment delivered via a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform.
