Question and Answers on Tele-Therapy

Telehealth is a new and exciting way to continue improving your child’s skills at home while practicing good social distancing.   With change, comes a sense of uneasiness, but trust me, you have nothing to lose by giving telehealth a try.  You might be surprised how beneficial it can be, how well your child will respond, or how much it can empower you as the parent to first hand help your child continue to make progress with your therapist as your guide.  Allow me to put some of your fears at ease, by answering what some questions or concerns.

  1. How do I get started? Call our front office to schedule an appointment with your therapist; each therapist is working different hours, so the front desk will help you find the time that works best for your family.  The night before or morning of your appointment, you should receive an email from your therapist with a link to a website called Doxy.  Each therapist has their own “classroom” link.  Click the link at your scheduled appointment time and your therapist will join you on a video call shortly after.  It is as simple as that!
  2. What if I don’t have the right supplies? No worries…as therapists we have been trained to make whatever materials you have therapeutic.  We may ask for a tour of your home, so we have different ideas of what we can use to facilitate the skills we are targeting.
  3. My child won’t pay attention.  A genuine, honest concern.  Talk it over with your therapist, collaborate, and give it a try.  Best case they respond better than you think, worse case your therapist will provide you with education or a home exercise program to facilitate skills to continue their progress and reach their goals.
  4. I don’t have enough time. A valid concern. With kids being home and working from home I could see how another appointment would feel overwhelming.  However, there are different time slots available before, after, and during school/work hours, and some therapist have weekend availability too.  Budget in some time for your child to succeed!
  5. How will I know what to do? Think of your therapist as your coach.  They are going to instruct you to be their hands and on how to cue your child.  You will not be alone!  If the task is too challenging or easy for your child, your therapist will instruct you how to change the task, their body position, or their environment to meet their just right challenge.
  6. What if my appointment doesn’t “go well”? I would encourage every parent to go into teletherapy with an open mind and to be flexible.  We by no means expect perfection.  We expect other siblings or pets to be in the background or for your child to get a little side tracked sometimes.  It’s real life.  If the treatment doesn’t go as planned the first time DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED.  It is a learning curve and not a reason to give up.  With each misstep, as a therapist, I reflect back and evaluate what I could have done differently to make each of my sessions more successful.

I hope this helped settle any of your hesitancy with giving telehealth a try.  Call 513-755-6600 to set up your appointment time today!

 

For more information, visit http://www.abcpediatrictherapy.com