Covid has changed the way many businesses operate and The Child Development Centre is no exception. The precautions and limits put on businesses and individuals during this time has led to seeking out new ways to interact with clients and conduct therapy sessions.
Teletherapy allows therapists to meet with clients virtually through use of computers, tablets and smart phones. This has allowed therapists to connect with more clients than they would have been able to otherwise. By being able to reach clients who cannot attend in person sessions due to rural location, disability, or needing to isolate, teletherapy can help provide early intervention and ensure children don’t lose the gains they’ve made with their therapy.
This form of therapy can provide several benefits to children and their families. Being in one’s own home provides a certain level of comfort for the child and allows the child to incorporate some of their own toys into their therapy sessions. As teletherapy requires parent participation, parents tend to be more involved in their child’s therapy and have a greater understanding of the activities they can work on with their child.
Teletherapy is helping to reduce wait times as treatment space and therapists available for in-person sessions have been drastically reduced in the last year. These therapy sessions also tend to offer more flexibility for parents as they can often eliminate the travel time they would encounter for in-person sessions. For families that may need to travel for other reasons, teletherapy may allow them to keep their appointment even when they are away from home. This technology has allowed therapists to virtually connect with other professionals to offer joint therapy sessions, resulting in overall better care for the children.