The global pandemic has forced everyone to make many life adjustments, especially ones that involve technology. ‘Zoom’ has now become essential way to study, work and even attend therapy sessions. There are a few things you and your child can do before, during and after an online therapy session to ensure your child gets the most out of the session.
Before
Ensure you have a strong WIFI connection
Have a set routine and/or schedule that includes physical activity
Set up a workstation at a table, much like homework time.
Keep distractions to a minimum
A strong WIFI connection will ensure there is no video and/or sound lagging. It is important that your child and their therapist can clearly see and understand each other for numerous reasons. For example, when working on writing skills in Occupational Therapy, your therapist needs to see your child to evaluate posture and pencil grip.
Your child also needs to see and hear their therapist’s instructions clearly to understand and make those changes. A good way to keep a strong WIFI signal is to make sure no one else in the household is streaming videos or playing video games.
On therapy days, try to have a set routine. This should involve a good night’s sleep, physical activity, and letting your child know about the therapy session ahead of time. Keeping distractions to a minimum is another way to make sure your child can pay attention, so make sure the radio and television are turned off and that they are sitting at a clean area.
During
Join the session with your child
Feel free to ask questions
Write down any tips and tricks the therapist teaches you or your child
When you join your child for a therapy session, it allows you to learn what your child is working on, how they're progressing, and what strategies you can use outside of therapy with them. It's also helpful for your therapist to have you there as the eyes and ears of the session - your observations are very important! You can make sure your child is paying attention to the Zoom call, doing their exercises properly and not getting distracted. Another benefit of having you involved during a session is to provide proper role modelling. It is much easier for your child to observe and imitate you in person as opposed to their therapist over Zoom.
After
Use positive reinforcement for successes
Keep a log of any ‘homework tasks’ done throughout the week
Keep a log of any problem, successes or questions to bring up next session
At any time, please feel free to ask any questions you may have and your therapist will be happy to answer. If your therapist gives “homework tasks”, don’t forget to keep a log of them. This will help remind you and your child to keep up with their exercises throughout the week. Therapeutic exercises are just as important to do as "homework" as they are during the session because practice truly does make perfect.
By using these tips, you can help the session run smoothly and ensure that your child gets the most out of the session. Looking to make an online therapy appointment for the first time? Contact us for more information and check out our blog post about teletherapy. See you on Zoom!
Andalusia Speech Therapy has four clinics in Ontario and offers virtual therapy to anywhere in the world. Contact us more for information.