Why teletherapy? Teletherapy (also known as “telehealth,” “telemedicine,” virtual therapy, online therapy, remote therapy, zoom therapy, or video call) is a great option for families who are looking for quality children’s speech, occupational or physical therapy, but prefer the online option. Many families live in parts of California without easy access to in-person speech, occupational or physical therapists, or are choosing to remain socially distanced for the safety of their kids and other family members. Whatever led you to this page, welcome! We’re so glad you’re interested in finding out more about our speech, occupational and physical teletherapy services.
“But my infant/ toddler is too young to participate in therapy through a screen!” Many parents are concerned about the effectiveness of teletherapy, particularly for infants, toddlers and young children. Not to worry! For the young ones– particularly babies and toddlers– the therapist’s primary focus is on parent coaching and equipping. Parents of young kids: we teach you to become your child’s own therapist! We don’t expect babies or toddlers to sit through virtual speech, physical or occupational therapy sessions! Our therapists have been trained in teletherapy-specific strategies and methods that are highly effective over virtual therapy. In many cases, you could even hold the appointment during your baby or toddler’s naptime– that’s how little they have to be directly involved! You and your therapist can go over everyday routines-based intervention strategies; your therapist can provide training and feedback based on short videos you send her/ him from activities with your child throughout the week, go through any questions and answers, and more.
For older kids who can participate in speech, occupational or physical therapy virtually, direct therapy is still highly effective through a screen! For all ages of children, teletherapy is also an effective format for speech, occupational and physical therapy evaluations or assessments, which we complete prior to starting treatment services with your child.
“Teletherapy is providing therapy through a live video connection, over the internet. We provide the same quality treatment as we would in person, it’s just done through a computer! If you’ve ever used Skype on your computer or FaceTime on your iPhone, you’ve used the same type of technology tele-therapy uses.”
Insurance and Teletherapy
Does insurance cover teletherapy for speech, occupational and physical therapy services?
Many insurance companies do! Some companies (such as Tri-Care) cover teletherapy services regardless of the State of Emergency. Others are covering it temporarily, due to the pandemic. At this time, both of the insurance companies we are in-network with– TRICARE and Blue Shield of California— do cover teletherapy for speech, occupational and physical therapy. Also know that we always confirm your insurance benefits prior to getting started, so you would know the details of your plan’s coverage before starting virtual therapy.
What kind of technology do I need?
Our clients use whatever is most convenient for them: a computer, a tablet, or a phone. Have you used Zoom or FaceTime? Connecting with your child’s therapist for teletherapy is as easy as that! We do recommend an internet connection with a bandwidth of at least 10 MBPS in order to help minimize disruptions in service during your appointments.
Any questions or interested in setting up an appointment with one of our fabulous speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists or physical therapists? We’d love to hear from you! Please give us a call, send us a text, shoot us an email or fill out our quick “Services Inquiry Form” and we’ll get back to you shortly.
