49 - Parent Perspectives on Video-based Early Intervention for Young Children with Developmental Delays

Poster Number: 49
Publication Number: 49.203

Denisse Staufert Gutierrez, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Dane Fitzmorris, UCLA Intervention Program, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Rebecca Dudovitz, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Irene Koolwijk, UCLA Mattel Childrens Hospital, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Background: Timely provision of developmental services can improve outcomes for young children with developmental delays, yet COVID-19 pandemic restrictions limited access to in-person therapy services. Virtual services may help fill this gap, yet little is known regarding the experience of young children with disabilities and their caregivers receiving therapy services through a virtual setting.

Objective: We sought to describe the experiences of young children and their caregivers receiving early intervention services through a video-based early intervention program, in order to identify recommendations to optimize virtual services for these vulnerable families.

Design/Methods: Caregivers of children aged 18-36 months who participated in the 12 month virtual UCLA Intervention Program were invited to participate in a 30-to-60 minute semi-structured video or telephone interview. Interviews explored family experiences in the virtual program, recommendations for the future, and a discussion about how different virtual therapy services compare between them. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and analyzed using a 3-step process using a grounded-theory approach.

Results: Sixteen of 34 eligible families (47%) participated. The main themes included: Adding structure & enrichment, Parent support, Participation challenges, and Something is better than nothing. Caregivers described an overall positive experience in the virtual program. Participating in a daily routine, engaging in hands-on activities, weekly one-on-one check-ins, and participating in a parent group were viewed as helpful aspects of the program. Challenging experiences included difficulties with child joint functioning through a screen, lack of social interaction, and parental availability to facilitate child participation. Caregivers described feeling supported by the providers and perceived the virtual program as helpful compared to not receiving any services, but did not prefer it to in-person. Caregivers considered the virtual program a good alternative for individuals with limited access to in-person therapy services.Conclusion(s): Findings suggest that virtual programs can potentially act as a support in areas where there is limited access to in-person early intervention services for children with developmental delays.
CVDenisse_Staufert_CV (1).pdf
Table 2. Caregivers Key Themes