Telehealth Proven as Effective Treatment Option for Autistic Children

For families with members who are living with a disability or chronic condition, cost of care is an ever-present source of stress. The University of Iowa has released the findings of a new study analyzing the impact of incorporating telemedicine into the care routines of children on the autism spectrum – both in respect to the children and their families. The study, conducted by Scott Lindgren PhD (professor of pediatrics at the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics at UI’s Carve College of Medicine), divided 107 children, ranging in age from 21 months to six years, into three groups, each with a corresponding care model: in-home therapy, clinic-based telehealth, and home-based telehealth. The study ran between 1996 and 2014 and included children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or equivalent developmental disabilities (DD). The virtual care component was utilized to train parents in applied behavior analysis (ABA), in addition to connecting children to specialists.

The resulting findings concluded that not only could virtual care platforms effectively use ABA procedures to treat behavioral issues associated with ASD, but also that doing so greatly reduced the accompanying costs. Annual treatment costs were reduced by approximately 65%, from $6,000 to $2,100. Going into further detail, the published results concluded that “total costs for implementing treatment were lowest for home telehealth, but both telehealth models were significantly less costly than in-home therapy.”

The reduced costs, combined with the convenience of home-based care greatly reduces associated stress for caregivers. As highlighted in an mHealth Intelligence article covering the study, telemedicine capabilities have multiplied and improved markedly since the study commenced twenty years ago, increasing the nuances of the study and adding resonance to its pro-telemedicine conclusions. With the increased publication of research confirming the effectiveness of virtual care and a proliferation of telemedicine platforms, soon effective, specialized care will be available to anyone with an internet connection.

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