The practice of speech therapy is constantly changing and evolving, as new studies come out and as different theories and techniques show positive results. Another way speech therapy is changing is through the use of technology. Speech therapy clients no longer need to come into a South Bay office or have a speech therapist come to their home or school to receive quality care. Online speech therapy services have proven to be very effective with many different kinds of clients, and are a great option.
As everyone knows, technology is the way of the future. Children are now going to school online, patients are receiving medical care online, people are working from remote locations, and so much more. The speech therapists at Lil’ Chit-Chat are also taking advantage of technology to provide quality service to our clients while our clients remain in the comfort of their own homes.
What is Telepractice?
Telepractice is basically online speech therapy. With telepractice through Lil’ Chit-Chat, our clients still interact with a live speech therapist who guides them through a therapy session. It is not a one-size-fits-all online program—it is a session that is tailored to our clients’ specific needs, just like the sessions we conduct in person. However, telepractice allows our speech therapists to also access fun and engaging computer programs that can be used to enhance the speech therapy sessions and capture the attention of our young clients.
Who is a Good Candidate for Telepractice?
Almost anyone in need of speech therapy could be a good candidate for telepractice. For our youngest clients—those in the range from birth to 3 years old—parents or caregivers serve as the facilitators in telepractice. They follow the speech therapist’s lead, helping their child work toward their speech and language goals. Parents and caregivers receive a great deal of coaching that is very useful in helping their children between sessions. More independent school-age children can engage on their own with a speech therapist online, and get personalized help in addition to the therapy they may receive at school.
Telepractice is also a great option for our clients who have been in therapy and are ready to be discharged, but still need some follow-up support to achieve all of their goals. And for those living in a remote area, telepractice is a great way to receive quality therapy that might not otherwise be available.
We’ve also used telepractice with some of our clients who have busy schedules. For example, one of our speech therapists used to work with a high school student who had a hard time getting to regular therapy sessions, but was highly motivated to address his stuttering issue. He enrolled in speech therapy via telepractice, and in the six months our therapist worked with him online, his stuttering significantly improved!
The speech therapists at Lil’ Chit-Chat have received extensive training in online speech therapy through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Offering this service allows us to help more clients, even those outside of the South Bay area. We can literally help anyone in the world who has a computer and an internet connection!
The majority of our speech therapy clients are still those that we see in their homes in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance, but for those outside of those cities, we can still provide quality, personalized care and help them reach their speech and language goals.
If telepractice sounds like something you might be interested in pursuing, contact us at Lil’ Chit-Chat. We’d be happy to answer all of your questions and set up a plan that will work for you.
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