Telehealth Delivery in Part C Early Intervention: Provider and Caregiver Perspectives.
Alice Bravo, Lisa V Ibañez, Sabine Scott and 3 others
PMID 36153443WHAT IT FOUND
Early intervention telehealth shifted sessions toward coaching caregivers and away from direct child work.
Providers and caregivers reported lost session time, fewer goals, technology burdens, and child disengagement, alongside convenience and safety. These are experiences, not outcome evidence.
Key findings
01Most providers reported more time coaching caregivers and less time interacting directly with the child.
02Caregivers reported less time watching the provider work with the child and lower perceived overall value of services.
03Caregivers asked for better coaching, including video guidance and clearer session goals.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only 11 caregivers responded, and the caregiver response rate was 52%, so caregiver themes rest on a very small group. Providers and caregivers came from one county in Washington State, so the findings may not fit other EI systems. Survey items were not validated, and open-ended questions produced short responses, so themes may miss deeper experiences. The study reported perceptions of service changes, not measured child outcomes, so it cannot show whether telehealth improved or harmed progress. Caregivers were predominantly White and highly educated, so the sample may not represent families facing language, income, or access barriers. Data were collected early in the pandemic, before many telehealth resources and practices had developed.
Declared interests
The article names Health Resources and Services Administration as funder. No author conflict-of-interest disclosure is provided in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these experiences as evidence that telehealth improves child outcomes. This was a small cross-sectional survey of provider and caregiver perceptions, not a test of child progress.