Six-Year-Old Thriving in Telehealth Speech Therapy Sessions

There are three levels of autism that identify the amount of support an autistic person might need. ASD Level 1 is the mildest form, with children having difficulty engaging in back-and-forth conversation, understanding social cues, staying organized and planning. 

ASD Level 3 requires very substantial support and is defined by severe challenges in social communication and extremely inflexible behavior. 

At two-years-old, Charles was diagnosed with ASD Level 2, which is moderate on the spectrum, but requires substantial support. Social communication and repetitive behaviors are present more frequently in children with ASD Level 2 than in children with ASD Level 1. Children on this level have challenges in verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as reduced or abnormal responses to social cues.

After a comprehensive evaluation with the clinical staff at Solace Pediatric Healthcare, the plan of care for two-year-old Charles included treatment sessions for impaired comprehension and expressive language. 

“Charles was non-verbal at the age of two when speech-language therapist Anna began working with him. She also helped him with understanding emotions, expressing himself verbally instead of having full fledged tantrums, as well as helping to teach him about boundaries with people in his life and respecting a person’s space,” adds Patricia, mother.

“He loves art and games. His favorites are the racing game that Anna plays with him and building his own monsters.”

Benefits of Telehealth

The pediatric telehealth clinicians at Solace Pediatric Healthcare specialize in virtual sessions and provide the same level of outstanding outcomes our children and families receive from our in-home sessions. Pediatric telehealth therapy removes the barriers of remote locations, weather, compromised immunities and challenging family schedules hindering many children from receiving individualized one-on-one care.

“Telehealth therapy enabled Charles to still receive the necessary therapy even through the COVID-19 pandemic. Anna always includes me and shows me the strategies she uses like showing me how to move my mouth and make sure my son was mimicking so he would have the ability to achieve the sound we wanted to help him make,” adds Patricia.

“My son has made leaps and bounds since he started receiving speech therapy services with Solace. His speech was delayed, but now it’s a struggle to keep him quiet (ha ha), ” adds Patricia.

“I am eternally and sincerely grateful for Anna and Solace Pediatric Healthcare for helping both my son and I grow and understand each other much better.”

How to Refer Your Child

For parents of a child with ASD, knowing which level the child has can help prepare them for the types of challenges their child might face in daily life.

Solace Pediatric Healthcare is the leading provider of pediatric nursing, family caregiver, occupational, physical, speech and feeding therapy services. Since 2005, our clinicians have provided pediatric care to children from birth to 21 years of age. We offer comprehensive pediatric therapy services in Colorado and Arizona.

At Solace, we’ve instilled a culture built on trust, communication, teamwork and accountability. Our mission is to provide pediatric clinical services to help children and families live their best lives.

• I want to refer my child for an Evaluation/Therapy. If you know you would like to speak to our patient advocate to discuss scheduling an initial evaluation with a licensed pediatric therapist, simply complete and submit the Referral Form so we may contact you. Please provide as much information on the secure/encrypted form as possible as it is required to begin the process. We do accept Medicaid and most insurances.
  
• I Want to Be Contacted. If you would like to speak with our patient advocate for more information prior to submitting a Referral Form, simply complete the Contact Me Form and submit.
  
• If you prefer to contact us to discuss your child, please call our team. You can reach us by phone at: (Denver) 303.432.8487; (Colorado Springs) 719.623.5463; (Northern Colorado) 970.775.8476; and (Pueblo) 719.695.4535.

Reference: VeryWell Health