Comparison of Goal Achievement When Transitioning from In-Person Therapy to Teletherapy in the Westchester County Early Intervention Program Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

  • Inna C. De Leon School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA
  • JennaLynn Philipps School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA
  • Marina Yoegel Children With Special Needs, Westchester County Department of Health, New Rochelle, New York, USA
  • Joseph Byrnes Children With Special Needs, Westchester County Department of Health, New Rochelle, New York, USA
  • Jordan S. Kase School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA & The Regional Neonatal Center, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2022.6450

Keywords:

COVID-19, Early intervention, Telehealth

Abstract

The sudden transition to virtual therapeutic services during the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to explore telehealth as a platform for delivering early intervention (EI) services. Through retrospective chart review of 93 children, we collected the following data: demographics, diagnosed conditions, therapy type, service format, and provider-reported participant goal achievement (1=no progress, 2=little progress, 3=moderate progress, 4=great deal of progress, 5=outcome achieved) over a six-month period before and after transitioning to telehealth. Pre- and post-transition progress scores were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results demonstrated maintained progress among children who transitioned from in-person to virtual services for similar therapy types. Children receiving speech therapy in-person and virtually demonstrated increased achievement (3.00 vs 3.33; p=0.032). Participants receiving a particular therapy post-transition but not in-person attained similar achievement as those who received the same therapy only in-person. Our research suggests that teletherapy may be a viable option for delivering EI services.

 

  

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Published

2022-05-25

How to Cite

De Leon, I. C., Philipps, J. ., Yoegel, M., Byrnes, J., & Kase, J. S. (2022). Comparison of Goal Achievement When Transitioning from In-Person Therapy to Teletherapy in the Westchester County Early Intervention Program Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2022.6450

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2022)

Section

Clinical Practice - COVID 19

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