WHAT IS TELE-INTERVENTION? 

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​WHAT IS TELE-INTERVENTION?
​Tele-intervention, also knows as teletherapy, is the provision of speech-language services via teleconferencing technology. It has become an increasingly popular method of service delivery in the field of speech-language pathology, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. ​
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IS TELE-INTERVENTION EFFECTIVE?
YES! Research supports the use of teletherapy in speech-language pathology with various populations, including (but not limited to), early-intervention speech-language disorders, autism spectrum disorders, stuttering, and primary school speech-language disorders (Akemoglu et al., 2019; Camden et al., 2019; McGill et al., 2018; Sutherland, et al., 2018; Wales et al., 2017). 
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HOW DOES TELE-INTERVENTION WORK?
​​Teletherapy sessions are facilitated through a HIPAA compliant platform. To maintain your privacy, you receive an e-mail with a unique link prior to each session. You can access the link on most devices via any browser (computer, phone, ipad).
If your child is under the age of 3 – treatment is provided through a clinician-parent partnership. Your clinician will help you learn relevant speech-language strategies to implement with your child during play and your daily routines. You will have a chance to ask questions, receive guidance and feedback, and discuss therapy related information.
If your child is in preschool or older – the clinician will provide direct treatment. Depending on the child’s ability level, parents will be required to either help the child, be present during the session, or simply remain nearby. ​
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ASKED FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS OLD
* What if my toddler won't pay attention to someone on a screen?
  • ​​That's okay! Tele-intervention is NOT about therapists engaging with your child through a screen for the entire session.  In fact, it is really about the therapist and YOU!  The therapist will spend most of the session with moms, dads, and caregivers, by asking questions, making specific suggestions and letting you try things and offering feedback. 
* What if I can't keep my toddler in his seat? 
  • That’s okay too! Children will move and play. You and your therapist will figure out a good place for you to put your screen. It doesn’t need to be a perfect shot the whole time. As long as you and the therapist is able to communicate effectively, you’ll be fine!
  • In addition, we often use movement to engage your child and enhance the learning experience. 
* Should I do tele-intervention or should I just wait for my provider to come back?
  • We don’t know how long we will need to social distance, so we recommend that you give tele-intervention a try! This connection with your therapist will allow you to support your child's development. 
  • We understand that  tele-intervention can be challenging (e.g., scheduling, balancing screen time, etc.). so consider every other week sessions.  This will allow your therapist to monitor your child's progress and provide you with strategies to implement throughout the weeks between sessions.  
  • Research has proven that Early Intervention (0-3) is key and intervention is likely to be more effective when it is provided earlier.  Waiting until we return to face-to-face intervention could be time spend to improve communication skills and build social-emotional development.