Telehealth

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, which prevented home-bound families from getting developmental evaluations on time, I developed a module that assesses children using video conferencing. While this was a challenging time for everybody, I used this time to think out of box and come back with a model that our families could access state-wide as well as internationally. 

 At present, the developmental evaluation conducted via this modality is designed to assess children ages 12 months -36 months. Beyond this age, it can be used  with children with language delays. The whole process takes 2 hours including history taking and the actual evaluation. At the end of the process, the families are provided with a diagnosis and treatment options followed up by a written report.

 This evaluation requires families to have access to some form of device, preferably a laptop or an iPad that could be used to communicate. Detailed instructions are sent to parents when they call to make appointments

Considering that families often have to travel to faraway places and wait for months to find out if their child has any developmental delays or if there are concerns related to Autism, this modality has been greatly successful in getting an accurate diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Almost all families who have had their child evaluated via telemedicine found this process very helpful and convenient. Besides, evaluating a child within the comfort and familiarity of their own home is the best way to observe the child in their natural environment. 

Please contact us if you want to learn more about this process and see if Telehealth might be the option for you.