How Teletherapy For Speech And Language Works
by Florence Morrison
If you have a child that you are schooling at home, you can still get special needs services for him/her. If the schooling program is through an online charter program operated by your state, then you do not have to pay for these services either. These services, such as speech and language or occupational therapy, come to you via teletherapy. This is how it works:
Your Child's Therapist Schedules an Initial Meeting
In a video-conferencing session, you meet with your child's therapist for the first time. If your child is going to receive more than just one type of therapy, you will meet with the other therapists separately. These therapists live all over the state, and each one will have their own times and sessions with your child via a computer screen. For speech therapy telemedicine, this media form could not be more appropriate as the therapist will be able to clearly see and hear your child as your child speaks.
The Amount of Time, Number of Sessions, and Length of Services Is Determined
In the initial meeting, you will discuss the appropriateness of the length of sessions, the amount of time per session, and the length of time your child will be receiving services. Then you will schedule the sessions based on this determination. Most children meet for speech teletherapy one to three times a week, for up to thirty minutes each session, depending on age, developmental delays, and severity of speech issues.
Starting Sessions
You will need to remember to log in to the therapy "room" for scheduled sessions. There is no way to make up these lost sessions as most teletherapists have quite a full schedule. When your child is meeting with the therapist, he or she will be doing a series of speech activities to help improve noted issues, and hopefully, correct these issues over time. If your child is at least ten and can sit the entire time by him/herself, you can allow the child to sit alone. Younger children will need help staying put, and/or engaging in the activities that the therapist wishes to conduct with your child.
Updates and Changing Goals
If your child accomplishes a speech goal and has a speech issue successfully corrected, then the speech therapist will want to meet with you again to discuss new goals. If there are any quarterly or semi-annual updates on progress to be shared, your child's therapist will ask to meet with you for these updates as well. Some goals may stay the same for quite a long time, as some children will have a difficult time changing the way they say certain consonants, diphthongs, etc.
Contact a company like Bridges The Gap And Communication Partners for more information and assistance.
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About Me
I have a passion for seniors. When I was growing up, my granny was my best friend. She helped me with my homework every day after school and was always ready to lend an ear when I needed someone to talk to. As I grew older and my grandmother did as well, she developed dementia. My parents, siblings, and I all took turns visiting her home to give her the extra care she needed. I learned a lot during this experience and know there are others out there with elderly relatives they are already caring for or suspect may need some extra care. I decided to create a blog to share my senior care tips with anyone and everyone who needs the advice. Come back often for new posts!