early intervention

Mastering Teletherapy for Early Intervention

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Mother with child in Teletherapy Session
By: Janet L. Courtney, MS, CCC/SLP
Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Therapy LLC
Lighthouse-therapy.com
I am excited to introduce Janet Courtney, CEO of Lighthouse Therapy LLC, a teletherapy company. With over 25 years’ experience, she’s passionate about mentoring and supporting others. You can find Janet’s blog at https://www.lighthouse-therapy.com/blog, contact her at Lighthouse at contact@lighthouse-therapy.com or call 888-642-0994.

Teletherapy for Early Intervention

“My son is two and he isn’t talking yet, is that normal?”  “Our one-year-old doesn’t feed herself and has trouble holding a spoon, is that normal?”  A teenage mom with a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old is feeling overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to handle her children’s bad behavior.  All these scenarios are great examples of children who will benefit from teletherapy for early intervention. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C, (IDEA) covers services for children and families from Birth through age 3.  The Preschool Program of Part B covers children for ages 3 to 5 (Section 619).  These programs mandate special education services to be provided to families and their children with developmental delays or disabilities.

Referrals

Who plays a role in spotting these issues in students? Referrals can come from different sources. Parents are usually the first to notice issues, but teachers or doctors may also notice delays. Seeking help is crucial as these services greatly impact a child’s development and future education. The first 5 years are critical for physical, social, communication, and academic development.
Referrals for Early Intervention or Preschool involve a team of professionals who create an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP). The team composition depends on the child’s needs. Together with parents, team members outline concerns and services for the child and family. An IFSP, in particular, involves the entire family, emphasizing education and consultation. The program also sets goals related to the child’s development.

Groundwork for Success

Some parents and professionals may question how telepractice can meet children’s needs online and if it’s effective. Will it really work? How can therapists gather data for eligibility without being physically present? These are valid concerns that need addressing, especially regarding Early Intervention (EI) and Preschool services provided through telepractice. When a child is referred for these services, developmental assessments and parent/teacher questionnaires play a crucial role in understanding the child’s functioning. These assessments and interviews can be conducted via telephone or through the telepractice platform, often sent electronically. Lighthouse Therapy’s platform ensures safe and confidential sharing of information, reducing the risk of exposing Personal Health Information.

Online Video Conferencing

Portrait of cute girl listening to music on headphones while using laptop at homeTherapy sessions are conducted via online video conferencing, allowing flexibility for sessions in the child’s home or preschool classroom. Clinicians coach parents on targeted strategies, observe progress, and adjust techniques accordingly. In preschool, a support specialist or assistant aids the child in joining sessions. Through engaging activities and documentation cameras, therapists monitor and guide students effectively. Lighthouse Therapy’s platform is adaptable, ensuring a dynamic experience for all involved.

Parent Coaching in Teletherapy for Early Intervention

As therapists, it’s crucial to communicate clearly with parents and caregivers, offering practical strategies to enhance communication and learning at home. We teach parents how to emphasize key messages and directions, provide repetition and modeling for the child, and encourage recording interactions to track progress over time.
Wondering how to make teletherapy sessions successful for young children? SLPs plan multiple activities for a 30-minute session to maintain engagement. Themes, interactive videos, picture activities, and memory games keep sessions lively. Using stamps, drawings, and show-and-tell encourages communication skills.
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Developmental Links

It is important for the professionals to have access to developmental norms, so I have included a couple links:
Many areas of the country desperately need these services. Engaging telepractitioners will provide key services crucial to children’s future academic success.

Simple Speech Therapy Early Intervention Activity using Eggs

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Eggs with various interactive toys for speech therapy early intervention activity

Crack open the door to engaging speech and language development with our simple yet effective speech therapy early intervention activity using eggs! All you need are a dozen plastic eggs and small objects to fit inside each one. There’s something magical about finding mini treasures that delights children between the ages of two and five. I’ve used this activity during the spring/Easter season and beyond with great success! For more winning, speech therapy early intervention activities, head to this post.

Communicative Purpose in Speech Therapy Early Intervention

In the world of speech pathology, we often reference: communicative purpose.  These are the various ways that we express our intentions to connect with others.  The greatest thing about using this simple activity of filling plastic eggs with treasures, is that you can elicit several purposes for social communication.  Below is a sample of a speech session from start to finish using eggs filled with objects to tempt communication with young children:

  • Requesting object: indicating a choice for an egg with pointing, eye gaze, reaching, or vocalizing
  • Requesting assistance: reaching, signing, vocalizing, or expressing “help” to open an egg
  • Greeting: waving and/ or saying “hi/ hello, bye/ see ya” as you take objects in and out of eggs
  • Requesting action: gesturing and/ or vocalizing to say “go” after a verbal prompt of “Ready, set…” with a wind up toy; matchbox car/ small vehicle; or spring-loaded pop-up toy
  • Requesting continuance: gestures, signs, and/ or vocalizes “more”
  • Labeling: using a sound/ syllable/ word for famous characters like Elmo, Sponge Bob, and Dora
  • Commenting: using facial expressions, sounds (ew), words (yuck, wow) to make comments about sticky, slimy, gooey, messy things
  • Responding to questions: Potato Head pieces for naming and/ or identifying body parts
  • Protesting: shaking head “no”; pushing object away; placing it in an egg; or vocalizing “no”
  • Requesting termination: gesturing, signing, and/ or vocalizing “all done”

Treasure Hunt

While you may find many objects around your home, below are some great places to look for more items to fill in eggs.
  • The Dollar Tree typically has a wind up toy or two somewhere in the store or you can find bundles on Amazon.  I like having one of these in each sound box because they allow for a little more opportunity for target practice while you play with it.  You may also find magnet numbers, miniature animal figures, individually packaged specialty characters, and small Koosh objects at your local Dollar Tree store.
  • Target Dollar spots sometimes have mini object erasers in a pack of 4 for $1.  I found a fruit one on clearance for 30 cents that had a strawberry, banana, grapes, and a watermelon.  
  • Party stores often have trinkets for favors or decor for themed parties 
  • Walmart carries seasonal favors that are fairly priced.  I found a collection of stretchy body parts during Halloween a few years ago that the kids love.
  • IKEA sometimes carries animal finger puppets in a collection of 5-6 that are fun for varying play during a seek-and-find game.
  • Dinky Doodads on Etsy.

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