The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted service delivery for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A recent study titled "Provider Perspectives on Telehealth Services for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic" provides valuable insights into the strengths and challenges of telehealth services during this period. This blog aims to help practitioners improve their skills by implementing the outcomes of this research or encouraging them to conduct further research.
Key Findings
The study conducted qualitative interviews with 35 providers across multiple disciplines from 17 sites in the Autism Care Network. Here are the main findings:
- Flexibility: Telehealth services offered increased flexibility, allowing providers to include more family members and care team members in visits. This enhanced care coordination and allowed for more nimble responses to family needs.
- Home Environment: Telehealth provided the opportunity to see children in their home environment, aiding in service planning and intervention effectiveness.
- Parent-Mediated Interventions: Providers found parent-mediated interventions to be particularly effective in a virtual setting. This method allowed for more parents to join sessions, reducing barriers such as transportation and childcare.
- Direct-to-Patient Services: Direct services to children without parent mediation were more challenging, especially for younger children and those with severe behavioral issues or co-occurring conditions like ADHD.
Practical Implications
Practitioners can take several steps to improve their telehealth services based on these findings:
- Enhance Flexibility: Use the flexibility of telehealth to include more family members and care team members in sessions. This can improve care coordination and outcomes.
- Leverage Home Environment: Utilize the home setting to provide more naturalistic interventions, such as practicing adaptive living skills in the environment where they will be used.
- Focus on Parent Training: Continue to develop and offer parent-mediated interventions. These have been shown to be effective and can reduce barriers to service access.
- Tailor Direct Services: Be mindful of the challenges in providing direct services to children. Consider factors like age, verbal capacity, and behavioral issues when deciding on the mode of service delivery.
Future Research
While the study provides valuable insights, more research is needed to develop clinical guidelines for the use of telehealth in ASD services. Future studies should focus on:
- Identifying the specific circumstances in which telehealth is preferable to in-person services.
- Understanding the factors that contribute to the success of telehealth interventions.
- Developing guidelines for triage and prioritization of in-person visits.
By continuing to explore these areas, we can improve the effectiveness of telehealth services for children with ASD.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Provider Perspectives on Telehealth Services for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.
