Speech therapy is a critical element in the lives of millions of children with communication and speech problems. The demand for SLPs (Speech Language Pathologists) who are licensed professionals for treating such problem is steadily increasing worldwide. The most trending feature in this field is speech therapy online.
Online speech therapy permits thousands of persons to find the professional treatment required by them or their family members. Though one-to-one treatment is still in currency, several clients of SLPs have found that online therapy is effective for issues like autism spectrum disorders, apraxia, aphasia, speech delay, and stuttering.
In these online sessions, children with speech and communication disorders work with licensed and certified therapists or SLPs. The best part is that as a parent, one can check the credentials of the SLP through online research.
What is online speech therapy?
It is a clinical arrangement where the patient and the SLP interact and communicate over the internet. Such sessions involve a range of therapeutic exercises such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
The advent of high-speed internet and smartphones/ laptops/tablets etc., has made this therapy accessible to persons in the most remote locations and the comfort of their homes.
Problems treated by speech therapy include Autism spectrum disorder, delayed language & speech, stammering, unclear speech, learning disability, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, intellectual disability, apraxia, cleft palate/lip, Down syndrome, and developmental syndromes of childhood.
Benefits for children
In case one is wondering about whether to go in for online speech therapy for children, consider the following benefits:
- No limits on location
In case one lives on the fringes of a city or a remote area, or hundreds of miles away from the SLP’s clinic, the distance between one’s residence and the SLP will no longer interfere with the therapy.
Most people have missed appointments with their doctor or therapist because of traffic or bad weather. Online therapy ensures that one no longer needs to endure maddening traffic or inclement weather conditions to access speech therapy.
Online therapy can provide access to new therapists who might be superior to those near your location.
- Incredible convenience
In current times, even kids have busy daily schedules. Several patients discontinue therapy because of such busy routines. But if one discontinues speech therapy, there is the danger of contributing directly to a rising relapse rate of speech problems like stuttering.
Online therapy means that one will not need to get dressed, leave home and drive for several miles to reach the SLP’s clinic. Instead, one’s child can participate in therapy with the SLP between school hours and other activities.
In contrast, face-to-face speech therapy takes place only within business hours of the clinic which is inflexible and inconvenient. As for online therapy, one can always book sessions with the SLP at a convenient time without missing classes.
- More cost-effective
Those experienced with in-person speech therapy already realize that the only cost involved is not simply the fee of the SLP. One must account for expenses on travel, parking, and loss of work hours and school hours while estimating the total cost of therapy.
Because online therapy is accommodating and flexible, one need not cancel work hours to take the child to the SLP nor sacrifice the child’s school hours. No need to worry about paying for the clinic’s or for travel expenses.
One can contact SLPs who provide direct online sessions. Or there are online resources where one can book therapy sessions straight away.
- Much more comfortable
Kids with social anxiety disorders or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) might not react favourably to a traditional clinic arrangement. Online therapy allows them to interact and learn from an SLP in remote mode, from the comfort of their homes.
No wonder many SLPs and parents of kids with speech problems now like online therapy more than in-person therapy. For parents, it also means evading unnecessary phone calls for booking appointments and interacting with front-desk reps of the clinic. Thus, parents can avoid useless paperwork and unnecessary conversations. One can book sessions directly online.
- Easy to continue
Children with speech disorders and their parents may sometimes have to discontinue face-to-face therapy as it is expensive. Additionally, it might prove challenging to continue because it interferes with school activities and other routines.
But online speech therapy for children provides the much-required flexibility which permits children and their parents to attend therapy sessions as long as it is necessary. As discussed above, such therapy is also much more cost-effective than in-person therapy.
Online therapy delivers a positive experience to clients. Clients are willing to continue therapy thanks to the availability of numerous platforms. Most therapists depend on video chat services that are readily available to cater to the requirements of clients. They can also use interactive online activities and tools during sessions with clients.
Most clients, as well as their SLP, find online sessions more comfortable and less distracting. In addition, both parties make use of shorter waiting times since they know the exact hour in which a session begins and ends. As for factors like traffic, weather, and muddled appointments with the front desk, these will not disrupt online therapy sessions.
In sum, speech therapy online has exploded in popularity in the last few years. As a result, more SLPs and families are opting to deliver and receive therapy directly from the comfort of their homes. But as a responsible parent, one must discuss the pros and cons of online therapy with the SLP as regards one’s case.
Hi, I am Aria. I am a passionate blogger. Blogging is my profession. I love to write articles on several topics. Keep up the good work and Have a great day!
