Telehealth occupational therapy – also known as online occupational therapy or telepractice – brings therapy to your home through secure video calls. It helps your child progressing towards their developmental goals in a familiar, comfortable setting.
At Occupational Therapy Helping Children, we use telehealth OT to deliver Functional Capacity Assessments, therapy sessions, parent coaching and support for families across Australia – whether you’re navigating a busy schedule, living in a rural area or struggling with the fuel crisis.
How telehealth OT sessions work
We deliver occupational therapy sessions through a secure video platform. This allows you and your child to connect with your therapist from home, school, a community location, or even while traveling.
We use meaningful, age-appropriate activities to support each client’s engagement, participation and progress towards their goals.
Using video calls, our therapists guide children through activities, model strategies for parents, and use visual supports, demonstrations, and coaching to keep therapy engaging and effective.
Other online services include parent coaching sessions — one-on-one meetings with an Occupational Therapist to provide parents with tailored strategies and resources to support their child’s development at home.
What you’ll need at home
To make the most of your child’s telehealth OT sessions, set up:
- Good internet connection and speed
- Laptop or computer (or iPads) with webcam and working microphone and audio.
- A quiet space with the least amount of distractions
- Lined and unlined paper or exercise book
- Stationary (pencil, eraser, coloured pencils, scissors, glue) within reach
- Any items recommended by your Occupational Therapist that you have available at home
Will my child still get the same quality of support?
Over the last few years, Telehealth has developed into a simple and effective tool for providing remote OT services to children and families. At OTHC, we are committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based services, whether in the clinic or online.
It’s not a second-rate option!
Families should know that Telehealth is not a ‘lesser than’ option. There are many success stories and positive outcomes from video-based occupational therapy.
Telehealth can be successfully used with children to deliver OT services across a broad range of areas. This includes children with ADHD, ASD, developmental delays, motor coordination issues as well as handwriting.
