Telepractice: The Top Benefits for Parents (Part II)

Most parents have a straightforward and profound concern about telepractice (online speech therapy): “If I choose the telepractice venue, am I not compromising the quality of the speech therapy that my child will receive? But while this question may be reasonable for the unacquainted, ample research over the past 20 years has consistently shown that telepractice can deliver quality therapy services.

Sometimes clients who require speech therapy have other health issues as well which could compromise their care. Telepractice is the ideal solution for many of these fragile patients.  Aside from the fact that there is no need to travel anywhere, such vulnerable people are protected from interacting with others who may be carrying germs that cause them more significant harm.

The online venue often makes scheduling a dream.  In fact, flexibility takes on new meaning. Making appointments is no longer dictated by working around traffic as there is nowhere to travel.  The need to pigeon-hole a session around the availability of a babysitter becomes a thing of the past. Parents appreciate liberating their time while not compromising on the quality of the therapy.

Telepractice is a boon to smoothly incorporating speech therapy lessons into everyday life.  Whereas in sessions that are held outside the home such as in school or a clinic, the games and toys that are used are different than the ones found at home, telepractice changes all that. Both parents and children are familiar with what is in the house, facilitating a seamless transition.

The truth is that while telepractice may seem more “removed” from the real-life situation, it is often the exact opposite. What happens if a therapist has some magnificent toy that the child’s parents just can’t afford?  When the “clinic” and home are the same, this just won’t happen.  Children will be put at ease with this desirable familiarity.

But for many parents, the most significant benefit of telepractice is that speech therapy can often become a family affair.  You see one of the many benefits of the video conferencing technology is that the speech sessions can be recorded. This technology facilitates the ability of family members who cannot be present at the session to see the recording and be brought up to speed.

What’s more, since the telepractice session takes place in the home, other children feel more comfortable in getting involved with the sibling “attending” therapy.  Older brothers and sisters become “home-grown” tutors to help to reinforce the lessons being learned.  And since toys and games are being used from their home, they are more comfortable helping with “homework.”

So, contrary to the conventional wisdom, telepractice is not something that parents need to learn to resign themselves to as the wave of the future.  On the contrary, with such a plethora of benefits to draw upon, parents should be welcoming the advent and evolution of this most exciting technology known as telepractice.

Click here to see other wonderful telepractice benefits for parents. The Top Benefits for Parents Part I