Are therapists doing unmasked therapy for kids with anxiety about covid stuff yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

My son’s speech therapist still wears a mask. Recently she has started pulling it down to occasionally demonstrate what she is talking about and even the willingness to do that is so helpful rather than him trying figure out what she is talking about for 10 minutes. He is not a kid who can translate instructions into actions super well. Virtual is an option but also not so good at his age. I am respectful of their needs but there is no question there are times the masks are problematic. Would drive quite a way to find an unmasked speech therapist but given it took us 6 months to get in here I don’t think we will have much luck.

This is an absolute disgrace.

[Anonymous]

District Therapy in DC (across from the Cactus Cantina) is great and doesn’t require masks. Ask for Sam!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This discussion has been really eye opening for me. My dentist is not only masked but gowned at our appointments. I respect her professional opinions when it comes to protecting her health, the staff, and the patients that she encounters throughout her work day. Other health care professionals that I’ve encountered recently have all been masked, and requested that I mask also when doing so does not interfere with what we’re there to do. I’m startled at how little respect and general regard many of the posters have for therapists who have actual needs and lives and standards based on both their own risks and current practices.

I’m happy that I read this though. Given the enormous need for therapists who specialize in working with children and families, I’ve been on the fence about whether or not to pursue local licensing and to begin a practice in the DC area —after taking a career break for family reasons. As a therapist with over 20 years of experience — and with people at extremely high risk in my life — it was always going to be a balancing act: from patient risks to personal risks, from taking insurance including Medicaid to limiting my practice to self-pay only. The thought that so many people distrust the judgement of the professionals that they encounter and also have so little regard for our well-being is really good to know.

Thank you for being so candid.

If you do not have the judgment to understand why an anxious child, an autistic child, or a child with a speech delay needs to see faces and have their face seen ... then I don't think you have any clinical expertise worth considering. PS: a dentist up in your face dealing with bodily fluids is not the same as a speech therapist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This discussion has been really eye opening for me. My dentist is not only masked but gowned at our appointments. I respect her professional opinions when it comes to protecting her health, the staff, and the patients that she encounters throughout her work day. Other health care professionals that I’ve encountered recently have all been masked, and requested that I mask also when doing so does not interfere with what we’re there to do. I’m startled at how little respect and general regard many of the posters have for therapists who have actual needs and lives and standards based on both their own risks and current practices.

I’m happy that I read this though. Given the enormous need for therapists who specialize in working with children and families, I’ve been on the fence about whether or not to pursue local licensing and to begin a practice in the DC area —after taking a career break for family reasons. As a therapist with over 20 years of experience — and with people at extremely high risk in my life — it was always going to be a balancing act: from patient risks to personal risks, from taking insurance including Medicaid to limiting my practice to self-pay only. The thought that so many people distrust the judgement of the professionals that they encounter and also have so little regard for our well-being is really good to know.

Thank you for being so candid.

Didn’t dentists mask before the pandemic? I think mine always did. Because they are getting saliva thrown all over their face while drilling in people’s mouths. I am a PP who said I respect people’s need to make their own choices on this but feeling disrespected because someone can better understand why a dentist wears a mask compared to a therapist seems odd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

My child thankfully does not have speech issues. And somehow I doubt therapists are masking at dinner, with friends, etc etc. This is all a weird sort of theater now. The marginal benefit of masking is far outweighed by the damage to therapy. You know, the therapist's actual job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

My child thankfully does not have speech issues. And somehow I doubt therapists are masking at dinner, with friends, etc etc. This is all a weird sort of theater now. The marginal benefit of masking is far outweighed by the damage to therapy. You know, the therapist's actual job.

Think about how small the therapy rooms are and how close we are to the kids. Now do that 10x+ per day. How’s our viral load if 2 kids are positive? How is the room? It’s not just your child passing through the office.


I absolutely hear you and we are doing our best. It’s not theater. Our families come in having recently recovered from covid, after minimal breaks in care. It’s exhausting absorbing everyone else’s risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

My child thankfully does not have speech issues. And somehow I doubt therapists are masking at dinner, with friends, etc etc. This is all a weird sort of theater now. The marginal benefit of masking is far outweighed by the damage to therapy. You know, the therapist's actual job.

Think about how small the therapy rooms are and how close we are to the kids. Now do that 10x+ per day. How’s our viral load if 2 kids are positive? How is the room? It’s not just your child passing through the office.


I absolutely hear you and we are doing our best. It’s not theater. Our families come in having recently recovered from covid, after minimal breaks in care. It’s exhausting absorbing everyone else’s risk.

No, you’re not doing your best. Not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me really, really sad that special needs therapists around here are still masking themselves and their patients. I mean come on, really. This is absurd, fear-based, behavior by a medical professional.

Speaking only for myself, i’ve managed to not get Covid this entire time. I’d prefer not to get it in session, because I can’t work with any patients until we’ll again. Schedules are tight enough.

You'd be sick for one week. And you're likely going to get covid anyway. So to avoid that, you're going to significantly impair your therepeutic relationship, for what, forever? And don't claim that it doesn't. Especially if you work with kids with autism, masks absolutely interfere with emotion recognition.

So when we need to postpone your next appointment for several weeks because I had to bump folks that’s nbd? Because that’s another thing that happens when I’m out a week or so.

Yes, because seeing faces is an essential part of treating kids. You being out for ONE WEEK is fine and normal. Prior to covid people got sick, took vacations, etc. All the time. Ask yourself whether child therapists in other parts of the country and world are still wearing masks, and why you don't this bears any relevance to the quality of care you are providing.

Is it normal to cancel a fully booked week for vacation at the last minute, with no open spots left for rebooking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

My child thankfully does not have speech issues. And somehow I doubt therapists are masking at dinner, with friends, etc etc. This is all a weird sort of theater now. The marginal benefit of masking is far outweighed by the damage to therapy. You know, the therapist's actual job.

Wow you just don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

My child thankfully does not have speech issues. And somehow I doubt therapists are masking at dinner, with friends, etc etc. This is all a weird sort of theater now. The marginal benefit of masking is far outweighed by the damage to therapy. You know, the therapist's actual job.

Think about how small the therapy rooms are and how close we are to the kids. Now do that 10x+ per day. How’s our viral load if 2 kids are positive? How is the room? It’s not just your child passing through the office.


I absolutely hear you and we are doing our best. It’s not theater. Our families come in having recently recovered from covid, after minimal breaks in care. It’s exhausting absorbing everyone else’s risk.

No, you’re not doing your best. Not at all.

If a therapist gets Covid they cannot see clients for a week or two. And, many go unpaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of your anxious kids are traumatized and refuse to get in cars because they're required to wear seat belts or sit in car seats?

See how this works?

Seat belts don’t inhibit children with speech issues from learning to talk. Seat belts aren’t used as fear porn or to silence and create control. See how this works.

Speech issues are not caused by masking.

However, common sense is to mask at an appointment. Therapists can see 8-14 or more patients/clients a day and that puts them and your kids at high risk for covid.

g

Speech issues are absolutely caused by masking. Are you actually trying to argue that you can do effective speech therapy with a mask? Anyone trying to argue this with a straight face at this point is not credible.

My kid is unmasked everywhere -- school, metro, planes, trains -- and has not gotten covid. The ONLY place he masks now is in therapy. It's not "common sense" and the fact that you think it is just shows what a complete bubble you're in. I doubt you even need to drive 25 miles outside of DC to find a majority of child therapists who would look extremely sideways at a therapist requiring masking, particularly when emotion recognition, therepeutic bonding, or speech are the issues.

You are exactly why therapists mask. If your child is not masking you cannot blame masks for the speech issues. Your post makes no sense.

My child thankfully does not have speech issues. And somehow I doubt therapists are masking at dinner, with friends, etc etc. This is all a weird sort of theater now. The marginal benefit of masking is far outweighed by the damage to therapy. You know, the therapist's actual job.

Think about how small the therapy rooms are and how close we are to the kids. Now do that 10x+ per day. How’s our viral load if 2 kids are positive? How is the room? It’s not just your child passing through the office.


I absolutely hear you and we are doing our best. It’s not theater. Our families come in having recently recovered from covid, after minimal breaks in care. It’s exhausting absorbing everyone else’s risk.

Uh so what did you do pre-covid? You’ve clearly lost all perspective!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me really, really sad that special needs therapists around here are still masking themselves and their patients. I mean come on, really. This is absurd, fear-based, behavior by a medical professional.

Speaking only for myself, i’ve managed to not get Covid this entire time. I’d prefer not to get it in session, because I can’t work with any patients until we’ll again. Schedules are tight enough.

You'd be sick for one week. And you're likely going to get covid anyway. So to avoid that, you're going to significantly impair your therepeutic relationship, for what, forever? And don't claim that it doesn't. Especially if you work with kids with autism, masks absolutely interfere with emotion recognition.

So when we need to postpone your next appointment for several weeks because I had to bump folks that’s nbd? Because that’s another thing that happens when I’m out a week or so.

Yes, because seeing faces is an essential part of treating kids. You being out for ONE WEEK is fine and normal. Prior to covid people got sick, took vacations, etc. All the time. Ask yourself whether child therapists in other parts of the country and world are still wearing masks, and why you don't this bears any relevance to the quality of care you are providing.

Is it normal to cancel a fully booked week for vacation at the last minute, with no open spots left for rebooking?

Yes. If you have kids, you should know that parents have always been canceling trips and plans when kids are sick. You should buy travel insurance. Kids get sick often. This is nothing new. It’s criminal you want to mask children for eternity so your vacation isn’t interrupted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: Wow, some of you are awful jerks. I kind of expect DCUM to be just parent-shaming awfulness, but I had hoped for more from parents with SN kids. Silly of me.

Sorry if we’re not all convinced that OP’s self-diagnosis of her daughter’s increased anxiety is so clearly mask-related. OP ought to be raising the issue with actual professionals, not looking for an echo chamber.

This.