Did you know that 40 million Americans have a communication disorder? By first grade roughly five percent of children have speech difficulties that require intervention. Speech and Language Delays and Disorders not only place students at risk for academic failure but children may suffer socially as well. Given the recent pandemic the need for qualified speech therapy services has never been greater. Children that were behind in school are now further behind because of missed services and limited social interactions. With that said, as with anything, there is always a silver lining.
Given the situation we all faced with the pandemic speech and language pathologists (SLP's) were challenged to find new ways to reach children in need of speech and language services. Given the rise in technological advancements and access to online materials many SLP's began conducting speech therapy remotely. Although in-person speech therapy has dominated the field, remote speech therapy has been around for quite a few years and is gaining popularity worldwide. Here are five reasons why online speech therapy is just as effective an in-person speech therapy.
YOUR CHILD WILL BE WORKING WITH A CERTIFIED AND LICENSED SPEECH PATHOLOGIST
You may wonder if your remote speech therapy is just as efficacious as in-person speech therapy. The American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) defines Telepractice as the deliver of services using telecommunication and Internet technology to connect clinicians to clients, other health care providers, and/or educational professionals for screening, assessment, intervention, consultation, and/or education. Telepractice is an appropriate model of service delivery for speech-language pathologists and maybe the primary mode of service delivery or may supplement in-person services. ASHA also states that Telepractice should be of equal quality to services provided in person and consistent with adherence to ASHA's Code of Ethics, Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology and Assistants Code of Conduct as well as stated and federal laws. In addition, the Speech-Language Pathologist must be qualified and licensed in the state where they reside and in the state the client is located in.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO SPEECH THERAPY REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVE
Some people live in rural areas and do not have access to speech services. They may have to drive to a location far away. This may be inconvenient and costly given the price of gas these days. Also, poor weather conditions and busy schedules may force people to cancel appointments. If a client is in need of an SLP who specializes in a given area, such as, Childhood Apraxia of Speech ,for example, they may be hard to find locally. By signing up for speech therapy online you'll have access to SLP's who are experts in treating certain disorders.
IT IS EASIER FOR PARENTS TO GET INVOLVED
Parental involvement is crucial if you a child to make progress quickly. Parents can sit in on online sessions and learn techniques to use during the day. For example, they may learn cues to help there child with making speech sounds or they may learn ways or techniques to promote expressive language skills.
ONLINE SPEECH THERAPY IS MORE CONVENIENT
We all live busy and hectic lives. Finding time to go to various appointments can be challenging and nearly impossible at times. Online speech therapy offers flexibility when scheduling. Many SLP's offer speech therapy sessions after school or even on the weekends.
IT'S MORE COMFORTABLE
People perform better when they are comfortable. Being at home can relieve stress that may otherwise arise when participating in speech therapy in an office setting. SLP's may also have a better appreciation of the client's environment which allows for customized goal setting.
In-person speech therapy may have dominated the field of speech-language pathology in the past, however, online speech-language therapy is quickly becoming an accepted mode of delivery worldwide. Online speech therapy offers licensed and certified SLP's, it is convenient, comfortable, allows for more parental involvement and can be accessed from any location.
If you are in need of online speech therapy services please reach out to us at Universal Speech Therapy! universalspeechtherapy.com and book your FREE consultation today!