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From: Chris Lewis
Date: 21 Oct 2006
Time: 23:11:26 -0500
Remote Name: 211.29.214.143
Hi Grace, Thankyou for your comments and questions. For the recent study, families were recruited in various ways (eg. following telephone enquiry re. services to the Australian Stuttering Research Centre, or to local speech clinics where the staff were aware of the study). There is no application process as such. In general circumstances, telehealth could be considered for any family who sought treatment and who were isolated from receiving regular, weekly, clinic-based treatment with the Lidcombe Program. Isolation is typically caused by factors of distance and/or lack of availability of local services. During the study there was no face-to-face contact between the SLP and families, and the results demonstrated that assessment and treatment was efficacious in this format. However, as I have mentioned in a couple of other replies, combining clinic visits with telehealth delivery is likely to be a worthwhile option and we will be investigating planned variations that combine the 2 methods of service delivery in the future. In some situations it may be possible and beneficial for the child and parent to attend the speech clinic for an initial assessment and for treatment to be introduced in the standard format. Subsequent contact could occur by telehealth with clinic visits scheduled whenever this was possible and practical for the clinician and family, or as indicated by either the child's progress, or the parent's proficiency with treatment. I hope this information is useful. Thanks again for your interest. Chris