Did you know that Clear Kids provides online speech therapy services to children and their families living all over Australia? Clear Kids have been working with families all over Australia to achieve life-changing outcomes for children through online speech pathology for over 5 years. If you live in a remote location or live a busy lifestyle making it difficult to attend regular appointments, this might be the perfect solution for your family.
How does it work?
If you live in a remote location or live a busy lifestyle making it difficult to attend clinic-based appointments, telehealth speech therapy may be the perfect solution for your family.
We provide speech therapy online using sophisticated video conferencing software called Zoom which provides excellent user experience and high level of security read more here. All you need to do is click the link we email to you 5 minutes prior to your appointment and enter the private ‘waiting room’ where you can test your audio and video settings if you wish. At the time of your appointment, you are instantly connected with your Speech Pathologist so you can hear their voice and see a full-screen picture of them talking to you.
Parents sit next to their child to assist them in the therapy activities and navigate the screen. Using the Zoom live video conference platform you and your child will participate in the session lead by the therapist which could involve:
- Watching the therapist as they demonstrate techniques, for example cues to help your child produce clear speech sounds.
- Viewing therapy materials such as books, picture cards and visual scenes shared by your therapist.
- Engaging with relevant photo and video content e.g. social skills videos.
- Playing fun therapy games to keep your child motivated – your child will even be able to control the screen at the click of a button!
- Sharing the virtual and sometimes real whiteboards to work on written language skills such as narrative writing and grammar.
- Brainstorming ideas and drawing using the whiteboard function.
Why choose us?
We believe we can provide the best quality online speech therapy for your family because we offer:
Immediate start: available for telehealth clients, no waiting.
Quality not quantity: Access the best online speech pathologists from the comfort of home. We are a small and selective practice that hires only the best therapists who:
- are police checked and hold a WWVP card;
- are well-trained, experienced paediatric online speech pathologists; and
- demonstrate our core values:
- We make connections, achieve our goals, and show respect for people and the environment.
A balanced opinion: Unlike large online-only companies, we see clients both in the clinic and online. This allows us to give you an honest and reliable opinion about the suitability of online speech therapy for your child. If your child would be more suited to a clinic setting, we can help connect you to the right person through our private professional network.
Clinician-directed: Our company is directed by an experienced paediatric speech pathologist (rather than an administrator) who supports the team through resources and clinical guidance.
Can speech therapy be done remotely?
Yes, it can! Parents either sit with their child to assist them in the virtual therapy activities or the child can attend the session independently. Using the live video conference platform your child will participate in the which could involve:
- Watch and imitate the therapist as they demonstrate techniques, for example, cues to help your child produce clear speech sounds.
- Engage with animated books, videos, therapy games, picture cards, and visual scenes shared by your therapist.
- Reflect on the ideas presented in animated lessons e.g. social skills videos.
- Play fun therapy games to keep your child motivated – your child will even be able to control the screen!
- Create Word documents and story scenes to work on written language skills such as narrative writing and grammar.
- Brainstorm ideas, participate in interactive spelling lessons, and draw abstract concepts using the whiteboard function.
Is online Speech Pathology effective?
Research has shown that online speech pathology is both effective and acceptable to parents of children with a wide range of communication disorders including:
- Children who stutter. Research has shown that online speech therapy using the Lidcombe program is an effective alternative to attending appointments in person. One study which involved a randomised controlled trial reported a 73% decrease in stuttering for those participating in online speech therapy compared to the rates in children who did not receive the treatment at all (control group).
- Children with speech and language disorders. A systematic review that examined 132 research articles, found that children treated online made significant and similar improvements to those seen in-person. Another study looking at online articulation therapy for speech sound disorder found children who received online speech therapy made significant improvements. The study concluded that live interactive videoconferencing appears viable especially for children in rural settings.
- Literacy skills. Research has found improved academic outcomes for children who accessed online speech pathology at school.
- Children with Autism. A recent systematic review of 14 articles involving a total of 284 children with autism receiving speech therapy found high levels of engagement and parent satisfaction with services delivered online rated as equivalent to services delivered in person. Another study showed significant improvement in the language skills of children with autism after their parents received virtual training with a speech pathologist.
Have questions?
If you would like an information pack including pricing or have any questions about accessing online speech pathology for your child please feel free to email us for support, happy to help!
