The concern of most parents regarding telepractice (online speech therapy) is quite simple. “Will my child receive the quality session as meeting with the therapist face to face?” Research shows that telepractice delivers quality therapy services, but there are many other benefits for the parent as well.
1. Telepractice eliminate transportation concerns
A significant problem for families who don’t own a car or have easy access to another’s vehicle or public transportation is struggling to show up at appointments on time. Guess what, when the therapy is brought right into the comfort of your own home, this concern is no more. Other than accounting for the unexpected, there is no reason ever to miss an appointment.
2. Telepractice reduces hassles
If the child receiving the therapy is an only child, this won’t be a concern. But if there are siblings to bring along to the appointment as well, the entire experience can quickly become an ordeal. Getting them into the car, strapping them into the car seat, keeping them happy during the ride, taking them out of the car seat and them keeping them well behaved during the session is enough to drive any parent crazy. With telepractice, this hassle goes by the wayside.
3. Telepractice is cost effective
Between saving on the gas going to and from the therapy session, and the savings passed along from the therapist who isn’t beset by the operating expenses incurred by the clinic (rental, utilities, water, etc.), telepractice offers real savings. The comfort of both your child and the therapist operating from home will keep your wallet better padded as well.
4. Telepractice reduces absences
Whenever your child isn’t feeling well, you as the parent will undoubtedly hesitate to bring the child in for the session. These absences invariably will take a toll on the consistency of the therapy and more often than not affect the progress of your child. But if your child is “attending” the session from your home, as long as she can sit up in bed the show will go on.
5. Telepractice enhances the realization of goals
A common complaint heard from parents is that when the clinician enthusiastically explains the child’s progress, the parent will respond, “But he doesn’t do any of that at home.” And often it is true. Sometimes it is quite difficult to reproduce the success of a clinical session.
Enter telepractice. When the “environment” of the therapy session is the home, extending the session’s progress is that much easier. The necessary integration from the magic of the clinical session into everyday life which is true objective of the therapy itself becomes that much more possible when the “clinic” and the home are one and the same.
Simply put, it is gratifying for many parents to learn that the plethora of benefits of telepractice is not limited to the child and the therapist, but as a parent, some of those benefits are theirs to claim as well!
