Speech and language development is essential for developing good communication skills, which are very important in the current times. Problems in speech should be detected and eliminated right during childhood because speech issues adversely impact children’s learning and social skills and persist throughout life.
There are speech therapists or speech-language pathologists providing speech therapy for kids online. Speech and language experts offer assessment and correction services for children’s communication skills through online platforms. Thus, there is no need for in-person visits to speech therapists. A large body of research attesting to online speech therapy for kids.
How does the process work?
Any agency providing speech therapy for kids online uses a secure video conferencing platform. The child requires a computer/laptop/tablet with an internet connection. The initial appointment is booked by phone. An SLP or speech therapist is deployed depending upon the specific conditions of the child, as discussed over the phone.
A series of web-based assessment tests are taken as a part of the screening process. The child’s educational and medical backgrounds are also assessed by way of documents uploaded to the platform of the speech therapy agency. The speech therapist also interacts with parents and caregivers of the child to make an assessment. The treatment goals are identified based on the screening process.
The therapy sessions take place face to face through the video conferencing platform. All the documents and tools of the therapy are shared electronically. Fun games and activities designed to improve children’s speech and language skills are usually employed by online speech therapists to make the sessions enjoyable for children.
Multiple time slots are provided for the online sessions. The time slots are allotted based on the availability and preferences of the therapy takers.
What are the areas covered and the benefits?
Communication skills and social interactions problems also characterize autism Spectrum Disorder. Online speech therapists specializing in applied behavior analysis techniques and other speech thereby techniques for ASD afflicted children improve the communication skills of such children through the digital platforms.
Online speech therapy providers cover speech and language delay. Here is a problem in which the child cannot develop speech and language skills at a normal rate. Many online techniques such as language simulation are used to enable such children to develop speech and language skills fast.
Stuttering therapy is also provided online. Stuttering is characterized by involuntary hesitation while speaking, anxiety or struggle during the process of speaking and making repeated sounds while articulating words. The online thereby sessions are targeted towards reducing disfluency in speech, reducing tension during the process of speaking, increasing self-control, increasing the awareness of stuttering moments and disfluent speech and overcoming fears of speaking in front of a crowd.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a condition in which the child does not develop the motor skills required to speak words and syllables clearly with the correct sound level. The online speech therapists make such children practice syllables, words, and phrases to gradually get control over their motor responses. Regular online sessions eventually normalize the speech of the children.
Children who have Down’s syndrome can also opt for online speech therapy. The communication skills of children with Down’s syndrome are delayed, or there can be structural problems with the tongue, impairing speech. Many methods are used to improve functional communication skills in such children.
Conclusion
Online speech therapy also resolves speech and communication problems caused by cerebral palsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cleft lip and palate, hearing impairment, and more.