Early Intervention Through Online Therapy
The Federal Early Intervention Program makes childhood evaluations and therapy services available for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities.
Today, Early Intervention faces new challenges – The historic Corona Virus outbreak underscores the need to offer the same benefits of in person face–to–face Early Intervention to children and families through Tele-Intervention using a video conference platform.
What is Tele-intervention?
TEIS is now providing Early Intervention Services online through videoconferencing. The therapy is the same, except that families and therapists meet via online video. If you’ve ever used Facetime or Skype, you already know the basics of how this works!
With Tele-Intervention, Therapies such as Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physical therapy are delivered in real time over the Internet – meeting with the therapists online. Tele-Intervention sessions are held on a phone, tablet or computer. Using these new online tools, Tele-Intervention can enhance the delivery of services in some cases!
The key premise for EI is coaching the caregivers to help them help their children reach their full potential. TEIS, utilizing a coaching method, allows for the same level of success for the child and family.
Tele-intervention has some advantages over traditional, in-person sessions. By using the power of the Internet, we can overcome barriers of distance, the availability of therapists, transportation problems, and – with the challenge of new the coronavirus outbreak – the problem of spreading illness.
Is Tele-intervention Effective?
High-quality Tele–Intervention services are an effective way to deliver a range of services to families.
Is Tele-intervention Complicated?
The technology is easy to learn. Tele–Intervention works like many of the same tools you and your kids already know and use every day. If you’ve ever had a video call with grandma, this is much the same.
Finally, keep in mind that children are drawn to technology and often fascinated by using computers and interacting with people online. The whole Social Media revolution has the benefit of making kids feel comfortable with tools that can now be used to meet today’s challenges of Early Intervention.