On the Ground: Making a Case for Virtual Therapy
Written by Rebecca Cummings, MS, CCC-SLP
Of the many lessons I’ve learned while living through a pandemic…
…one that really sticks out to me is that technology has opened up more options in healthcare than we could have ever imagined.
Trust me, I have my list of complaints about going virtual. I remember the early days of isolation when I was just starting to figure out our clinic’s tele-healthcare platforms, how to help 4-year-olds work through their grief, and what it takes to make speech therapy happen through a little laptop screen. And yes, I do agree that most kids in the US would benefit from a little less screen time. But humor me for just a few paragraphs, because two years and a thousand bouts of eye strain later, I feel pretty darn sure that virtual speech therapy has earned its place on the list of solid options for many families. I also believe that these benefits have the potential to outlast the current era we are living in.
Here are just a few scenarios that have me jazzed about going virtual:
Photo by Alexander Dummer
Some of the families we serve live over 30 minutes away from our clinic. For a 30-45 minute session, that can be a trek! Caregivers put in a solid amount of time and energy to make their child’s sessions happen, and for some, distance and traffic can add extra barriers. Virtual sessions can allow these families to take a breath and relax, knowing that they can make their appointments work from their desks at home.
Many children benefit most from seeing our clinicians two or more times per week. To make this work, some families take the hybrid approach of mixing up in-person and virtual sessions each week. For example, we might work with a child in person after school on Tuesdays, but see them via telehealth on Thursday mornings.
This setup can…
Encourage carry-over of new skills to places beyond the clinic room
Allow us to incorporate a child’s favorite things from home
Create opportunities for caregivers to actively participate
Open up scheduling options that otherwise would not make sense for families’ busy schedules.
When I say “toddler”, you say “runny nose”! Toddler….. TODDLER…..! The realities of COVID-19 have shed light on how easily an illness can make its way through a community. As we move into the future, telehealth will be a solution for children to receive the consistent developmental support they need while decreasing the potential for spreading germies. Win-win!
These are just a few of the many pros I can think of for virtual speech-language therapy. If you’re feeling hesitant or curious about whether this option is right for you and your child, I would encourage you to reach out to your speech therapist to learn more. I have met a lot of grown-ups who’ve found themselves pleasantly surprised!
Northshore Pediatric Therapy has telehealth options for families across Washington State. Get in touch with us to get your questions answered!
