Many American children suffer from a range of speech disorders, such as stuttering, dysarthria, and apraxia. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, by the first grade, around 5% of children exhibit speech disorders. They can stem from multiple causes, like hearing disorders, developmental disabilities, or voice problems. Fortunately, speech therapy is a viable option in managing and alleviating the effects of speech problems. And today, digital technologies have been created to make it more accessible than ever before. So, if you’re caring for a child who requires speech therapy, here’s how digital services can help you.
Improved convenience in holding sessions
Convenience is the biggest benefit that these digital platforms can offer to both patients and therapists. According to a study, participants with speech-language disorders felt that teletherapy was a more convenient service compared to face-to-face sessions. Virtual speech therapy sessions are more cost-effective and comfortable than their traditional counterpart. Additionally, the majority of patients in the study reported high satisfaction rates with the video and audio quality, which are important features in speech therapy.
The findings also showed positive results from the therapists who conducted the sessions. Despite holding sessions on a virtual platform, the therapists still experienced satisfactory outcomes with most of their patients. They were also pleased with the overall development of all their clients. This highlights that digital platforms are a great alternative to face-to-face sessions as they are convenient yet still very effective.
Plenty of potential to develop therapy mobile apps
Thanks to recent advancements in technology, speech therapy patients can also use mobile apps to enhance their speech-language therapy sessions. However, as of last year, only three out of the top ten apps for speech therapy have been designed and developed in accordance with evidence-based therapy techniques. Despite this, experts are positive that future mobile apps can engage their users, while also helping to improve their speech problems.
To create an effective and engaging app, software developers and healthcare professionals need to team up during the creation process. This is even more relevant now that more patients are opting for digital healthcare options. Healthcare leaders need to be knowledgeable in digital processes so that quality speech therapy apps are being created. In fact, contemporary online healthcare management degrees that have become even more popular during the pandemic, intertwine medical knowledge with the latest medical software. This enables healthcare managers to work with software developers to identify the best tech solutions based on the needs of speech therapy patients.
Greater efficiency through artificial intelligence
Apart from teletherapy platforms and mobile apps, digital platforms can also provide interactive tools that can help children with speech disorders in their daily lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used to create speech recognition technology for children. This digital platform assesses each child’s communication patterns, so those with speech delays can use it to search for information or control applications that can aid in their condition. These assistive technologies can easily connect children to digital speech therapy tools.
Furthermore, therapists and parents can use AI to improve speech therapy sessions. AI technology’s ability to recognize and study different speech patterns can help professionals examine and evaluate each patient’s progress. Healthcare leaders can also work alongside IT professionals with a background in AI architecture to optimize their AI programs, allowing them to get the most accurate medical data from their patients. AI simplifies the clinical documentation process, so speech therapists can devote more time to other children and high-value tasks.
Digital platforms are an excellent avenue for assisting children with speech disorders. The same goes for their speech therapists. Thanks to innovations like teletherapy platforms, mobile applications, and artificial intelligence, patients can enjoy more convenience and innovative care.
Author
Romi James is an aspiring writer who is driven by her love for her children. As a devoted mother, Romi loves to advocate children’s education and health in her articles. She hopes that she can inspire and motivate her fellow moms through each article that she writes.
