Parent’s Perspective on Teletherapy of Pediatric Population with Speech and Language Disorder During Covid-19 Lockdown in India

Aim: The pandemic COVID-19 led to the sudden imposition of lockdown and travel restrictions worldwide, that made tele practice one of the most viable options for various hospitals and healthcare centres. The present study aimed at exploring the parental perspective on teletherapy, for children having speech and language delay, during the covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Material & method: A total of 100 parents with children with speech and language delays and who have undergone a minimum of five teletherapy sessions at a tertiary care hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown were recruited. A questionnaire with 12 close-ended questions was administered over the phone call to know the parent’s perspective on the impact of teletherapy and its benefits. The responses obtained were tabulated and calculated for percentage response to each question. Result: Around 95% of parents reported improved motivation for speech-language therapy for their child due to teletherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and 96% of parents were satisfied with receiving teletherapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Furthermore, 90% of parents found teletherapy is more cost-effective than in-person therapy, but 88% believe face-to-face consultation is also required after some time (approx. after six months). Conclusion: The overall result suggested that parents had a positive attitude towards the teletherapy sessions. They reported the therapy sessions to be very effective and compliant, and it can be an efficient alternative with more structured implementation.