What Parents Need to Know About Teletherapy for Kids

Have you heard about teletherapy?

Teletherapy is simply therapy, over the internet, through a live video connection. The treatment is very similar to what a child receives in person; it’s just done using a computer. If you’ve ever used FaceTime or Skype you’ve used the same type of technology that teletherapy uses.

Teletherapy can be used with a variety of ages. It allows therapy to be done remotely, and is an excellent way to receive therapy services when traveling to a clinic isn’t a realistic option or to allow for more scheduling flexibility. Teletherapy is endorsed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Typically, an initial visit or two in-clinic is good to establish rapport and to confirm that teletherapy is a good option for a particular child. After that initial visit, a schedule can be set up just like we would a traditional in-clinic visit.

For the actual session, a parent can log on to the session from their home on their computer or mobile device, and then can sit with their child (if recommended) while their therapist works through the session. If there are materials that are needed for the session, they are either shared on-screen or sent via email before the session.

Who Can Benefit from Teletherapy?

A variety of circumstances can lead a family to choose teletherapy over traditional in-clinic therapy. A few examples include:

Homeschooling families or those with multiple children for whom it is difficult to schedule regular clinic sessions for a single child

Children who are ill, homebound or have compromised immune systems

Families who live too far to easily travel to a clinic multiple times per month or who have limited access to reliable transportation

Children who have anxiety or other needs who are more comfortable receiving treatment in a familiar setting

But teletherapy can also work very well for families who don’t fit any of the above scenarios, because for some families teletherapy can better reinforce concepts at home.

Teletherapy is not necessarily a good fit for every client, however. Children who struggle to remain in one place (standing or sitting) or need specific tactile (touch) cues to complete therapy tasks typically require in-person therapy over teletherapy.

So, what do you need at home to use teletherapy? Since you’re reading this blog post, you probably already have everything you need:

Computer, iPad, or tablet
Webcam (included in iPads and most computers, but can be purchased inexpensively if needed)
Headset or ear buds
High speed broadband internet (minimum of 3Mbps download speed and 1Mbps upload speed)

That’s it!