Online occupational therapy is no longer a futuristic concept. As with many other things, (working from home, virtual classrooms, curbside pick-up, and the delivery of most everything), Covid-19 accelerated the need and immediate shift to occupational teletherapy. Fortunately, research about the effectiveness of telehealth and occupational teletherapy was years in the making for this moment!
Need to find an occupational therapist online? Amy Zier and Associates provides teletherapy throughout Chicago and rural Illinois communities and towns. Generally, we would perform an in-person evaluation to get to know your child and family before determining on a case-by-case basis the appropriateness of teletherapy for each family. However, as the coronavirus continues, we are performing evaluations online, relying on our therapist’s clinical judgment and discussions with the parents to determine if teletherapy is a good fit for your family. Ongoing assessments and discussions occur to ensure both the family and therapist feel the child is benefitting from this form of therapy.
We’re pleased to report that the majority of our families find online occupational therapy improves the quality of life and physical and mental wellbeing of their child, perhaps especially now. As clinicians, helping patients stay as healthy, and emotionally regulated feels more important than ever.
Offering continued treatment through online therapy for the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive developmental needs of children benefit many patients right now. Our hope is that insurance companies continue long-term Telehealth coverage for mental health to enables clinics like ours to continue hybrid treatment plans that combine opportunities for connection and meaningful interaction with kids and families in and outside the clinic.
One thing is certain, small and large healthcare systems across the globe have proven how quickly we can mobilize to serve clients and patients by incorporating online therapy and care options. While there are many uncertainities about the future of COVID, we’ve been through the wall and know what to do moving forward to continue care under all circumstances.
The research about the benefits of telehealth occupational therapy is compiled below. These articles were written for policy decision-makers, OT professionals, healthcare workers, and families likes yours.
2020 articles:
- Parents’ Experiences with Implementing Therapy Home Programs for Children with Down Syndrome: A Scoping Review. Occupational Therapy In Health Care.
2019 articles:
- Telehealth as a model for providing behavior analytic interventions to individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
- Parent perspectives of an occupational therapy telehealth intervention. International Journal of Telerehabilitation.
- Report on the Use of Telehealth in Early Intervention in Colorado: Strengths and Challenges with Telehealth as a Service Delivery Method. International journal of telerehabilitation.
2018 articles:
- Feasibility of parent training via telehealth for children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior: A demonstration pilot. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
- Occupation-based coaching by means of telehealth for families of young children with an autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy
2017 articles:
- Feasibility of pediatric game-based neurorehabilitation using telehealth technologies: a case report. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
2016 articles:
- Implementing school-based telehealth for children with medical complexity. Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine. Available for purchase
2015 articles