What to Expect for Your Child’s Teletherapy Appointment
At Associates in Pediatric Therapy, we proudly offer teletherapy as an option for your child’s therapy services. But what is “teletherapy” and what can patients and caregivers expect from this type of appointment?
Teletherapy is a virtual telehealth appointment that your child can participate in from home. They will be able to interact with their speech, occupational, behavior, or physical therapist in real time using HIPAA compliant software, meaning that you will be able to hear and see the therapist via video chat and they will be able to hear and see you in a secure manner. This requires internet access and a device with audio and video capabilities, such as a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
After you schedule a teletherapy appointment, your therapist will reach out to you with any information needed prior to the session, including sending you a link to join the meeting. If you have any questions about this, be sure to ask your therapist or contact our office well in advance of the appointment time to be sure you have access to the session. It may also be helpful to test the link and test your audio and video capabilities beforehand. Be sure to talk to your child as well about what they will be doing and plan to reduce any noise or distractions as much as possible during the appointment time.
Your therapist will make a plan for evaluation and/or treatment using materials that are appropriate for teletherapy and for each individual child’s needs. Similar to in person sessions, formal testing may be done as well as informal assessment, skilled observation, and parent interview. The therapist may share a view of their screen to provide your child with visuals and utilize virtual games, activities, or books that target the skills they are working on. The therapist may recommend that your child sits at a table, stands up, moves around to complete exercises or obtain sensory input, or sits on the floor with preferred toys or activities nearby. The therapist may ask you to have materials on hand (e.g., scissors, if the child is working on cutting). The therapist will always discuss treatment methods and recommendations with parents/guardians, but may also ask for more active participation from caregivers throughout the session in order to promote carryover of skills at home.
We provide individualized services to all patients, both in person and via teletherapy. Caregivers should talk with their therapist to determine if teletherapy is a good fit for their child. The child’s interests, skill level with various tasks, and goals they have for therapy will need to be considered when making this decision. Teletherapy may also be appropriate for a child who is immunocompromised, who does not live within traveling distance of an APT clinic, or who does not have consistent transportation to a location. Teletherapy may be preferred by patients who feel stigmatized or who have any kind of negative feelings or anxiety about attending therapy in person. Teletherapy can also help to promote carryover of skills in a patient’s home environment. Additionally, teletherapy can be done temporarily as needed, for example, if weather leads to unsafe road conditions or if a participant has experienced illness.
The best part about teletherapy is that it helps us to reach more children and expand access to pediatric therapy services. If you are interested in teletherapy for your child, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Mary Hamilton, M.S. CCC-SLP