TELETHERAPY SERVICES

What is teletherapy?

Teletherapy (also known as telepractice, telehealth, or telemedicine) is the online or virtual delivery of speech and language therapy services via two-way live video conferencing. Springboard Speech & Language Services is thrilled to offer the same in-depth comprehensive evaluations and high quality evidence-based therapeutic approaches that we offer in person from the comfort of your own home without having to factor in travel to and from our clinic. With the ability to screen share and grant shared mouse control, our sessions are highly interactive and intrinsically motivating given that we have access to a vast library of online games and activities that can easily be tailored to your child’s communication needs and interests. All of our remote evaluation and treatment sessions are conducted through a HIPAA-compliant version of Zoom that will keep your child’s personal health information safe and secure. Our teletherapy services are available to all families who reside anywhere in the state of Massachusetts.

Is teletherapy effective?

Current research shows that teletherapy is just as effective as in-person services, and sometimes even more effective! We have found that school-aged children are much more motivated and engaged in therapy and tend to prefer teletherapy to in-person services given the wide variety of interactive games and activities that are available. Teletherapy is also fun and effective for toddlers as it provides a fantastic format for parent coaching in the child’s home with their caregivers and preferred toys/activities. This method of service delivery also allows you as the parent or caregiver to become more involved in the therapeutic process as you learn how to use cueing strategies and prompts at home between sessions to help promote faster progress. Teletherapy is endorsed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and The National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What do I need to make teletherapy work?

Computer, laptop, or tablet
High-speed internet connection
Webcam (built into device or as separate accessory)
Microphone (built into device or as separate accessory)
A quiet location with minimal background noise

Is teletherapy engaging?

Yes! With over 30 hours of professional training learning how to make speech teletherapy as fun and interactive as possible and the ability to share our screens and mouse control, your child will be fully engaged and actively participating in the entire session right along with us. Even students who struggled with online learning during the early phases of the pandemic look forward to signing on each week given the interactive nature of our online activities. In fact, we often get requests for “just one more game!” when our session time has expired and frequently hear from parents that their child is excited to sign on to their speech therapy session each week. Examples of some games we might play include Battleship, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Memory Match, Guess Who?, Crocodile Dentist, and Pop Up Pirate just to name a few. We also incorporate hidden pictures, puzzles, books, songs, and educational YouTube videos into many of our sessions. We feel confident that once your child starts working with us, they’ll keep wanting to come back for more!

Wondering if teletherapy is right for you?

We are pleased to offer a trial session to new families who are wondering if teletherapy is a good fit for their child. During this session, we will go over how our teletherapy sessions are typically structured, practice using a shared screen and shared mouse control, and dive into some of the many exciting and fun games that we frequently use to address a child’s communication goals using this format of service delivery. We are happy to address any questions or concerns you may have with zero obligation to continue remote services if you decide that it’s not the right fit.

Benefits of Teletherapy

Convenience

Teletherapy takes the fuss out of getting your child to and from their speech therapy sessions. No more rushing to pile the whole family in the car, stressing about allotting for extra travel time with your family’s busy schedule, or arguing with your child to transition back out of the house after they’ve just arrived home from a long school day!

Kids Love Technology

Children are drawn to technology and highly motivated to use it, making it a fun and effective approach to service delivery. Our interactive games and activities keep children engaged and motivated for their whole session, leading to more interest and investment in their own treatment program.

Simple & Easy to Use

We’re confident that you will find our teletherapy services to be simple and easy to use right away! You will be able to access your child’s sessions using the same Zoom link each week. No additional technology instruction beyond a basic understanding of how to access a Zoom meeting and turn on your computer’s audio and video through Zoom are required.

Caregiver Involvement

You as the parent or caregiver will naturally become more involved in your child’s therapy program as you learn how to incorporate effective strategies into your daily family activities and routines within their natural home environment. Promoting consistency across all settings is the best way to promote progress.

TAKE THE LEAP!

(781) 369-5589

allison@springboardspeechandlanguage.com

175 Washington Street, Suite A9, Winchester MA 01890

Travel to home, child care centers, and preschools for younger children offered for an additional travel fee

Teletherapy services available throughout all of Massachusetts