Q&A About Your Child’s First Speech-Language Teletherapy Session

The last several weeks have been marked by a lot of change. Many of us have started working from home, and our children have been schooling from home. As speech-language pathologists (SLPs), one of the biggest changes has been diving into the world of teletherapy. Though the idea seemed intimidating at first (and yes, there has been some trial and error), we’ve come to find that it’s absolutely possible to create engaging, motivating and fun therapy sessions online.

Teletherapy is often new for parents and their children, too, so I’d like to answer three common questions parents are asking.

1.     My child has already been receiving services at school and/or at home. What should I expect during teletherapy sessions? 

During this time, we as speech therapists aim to continue targeting goals and improving communication skills. However, we also realize that this is an exceedingly difficult, confusing time for children. It may take a few sessions to reestablish our relationships with them.

For school-aged clients, during the first one or two sessions, we may spend time catching up with your child to see how they’ve been doing. We may ask: What have you been up to? Have you FaceTimed any friends? Have you created any new, exciting games? I’ve found that many clients enjoy sharing details of their ‘new’ lifestyle.

Oftentimes, clients will introduce me to their siblings or pets. And they many find it fascinating to participate in a virtual tour of my own home—realizing that I too have a kitchen, a porch, and a living room just like them!

It’s important to help our clients feel like they are being listened to and comforted during these times. Once children are engaged, sessions can transition to targeting speech goals that we have previously worked on together. During this time, we typically utilize a variety of activities. Materials often used include interactive online games and flashcards, short video clips or toys within your home.

For parents with younger children, we like to offer strategies for you to utilize with your children in your home. We may at times encourage you to play with your little one, while we observe and coach you through the session. 

2.     How do I explain the transition to speech-language teletherapy to my child?

For some children, it may be confusing to understand why they are seeing their therapist online instead of in person. For older clients, I stress the importance of our safety. By staying home and conducting sessions online, we are helping both ourselves and others in reducing risk of illness. For younger clients, parents may find it helpful to introduce the therapist as a new friend, who would like to talk and play. I’ve found that many of my clients have quickly adapted to online sessions with ease.  

3.     My child is not currently receiving services, but we have concerns about their communication. What does an assessment look like, and how will my child respond to meeting a new, unfamiliar individual over the screen?

Before completing assessments, we like to collect background information regarding concerns for different areas of speech and language. In addition, we appreciate knowing additional details regarding your child’s interests (games, television shows, movies) to help us build a better relationship with them.

During the assessment session, parents are advised to remain near their child, to ensure that they can provide support or gentle reminders as needed. If the child is becoming tired or distracted, a short break may be incorporated into the session.

In addition to the actual assessment, we may also have a conversation with parents to discuss skills seen and assessed during the session and answer any additional questions. 

For children with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or recent speech-language evaluation, Synapse Pediatric Therapy can often provide services based on the goals suggested by the previous speech language pathologist.

If you have questions about this process, we’d love to talk with you. You can schedule a phone consultation here.