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

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.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early intervention utilization and need for referral after NICU discharge in VLBW infants

“…Though the disruption to EI services and sudden conversion to teletherapy likely affected these outcomes, exploring the effectiveness of EI services was outside the scope of this study. A few studies on teletherapy during COVID-19 have reported similar achievements compared to in-person sessions, especially with family centered coaching practices and provider training on teletherapy (12,24,25). Furthermore, studies have reported other bene ts of teletherapy as a substitute for in-person visits during the pandemic, such as reduced stress in the home environment, increased caregiver involvement, exibility of scheduling and accessibility of services for remote areas, that may have offset some negative effects of teletherapy delivery (8, 12,24,25).…”

“…A few studies on teletherapy during COVID-19 have reported similar achievements compared to in-person sessions, especially with family centered coaching practices and provider training on teletherapy (12,24,25). Furthermore, studies have reported other bene ts of teletherapy as a substitute for in-person visits during the pandemic, such as reduced stress in the home environment, increased caregiver involvement, exibility of scheduling and accessibility of services for remote areas, that may have offset some negative effects of teletherapy delivery (8, 12,24,25). Further studies are needed to understand the lasting impact of COVID-19 restrictions and explore strategies that best support at risk populations.…”

Morbidity and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years in preterm infants undergoing percutaneous transcatheter closure vs. surgical ligation of the PDA

“…It is well known that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare facilities and therapy centers were forced to limit in-person services due to safety concerns and lockdown measures. (42,43) This disruption could have potential implications for access to speech, occupational, and physical therapy services for former preterm infants, and may have impacted their neurodevelopment.…”