Assessment of online physiotherapy consultation for children – parents' opinions

Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic has forced a change in the way contact with the physiotherapist is organised. This sitaution has created a risk for infants exposed to worsening disorders resulting from rehabilitation measures not being implemented or being interrupted. The online physiotherapy consultations, which were practised thus far, have become widespread. Material and methods: An online diagnostic survey was conducted among 151 parents of infants who had received an online physiotherapy consultation during the pandemic period. The survey comprised 25 questions. These questions concerned the impact of online consultation on increasing parents' sense of competence, the possibility of replacing in-clinic consultation with online consultation, and identifying the benefits and limitations of conducting this form of support. Relationships between variables were tested using the chi-square test with a significance level of p = 0.05. Results: The questionnaire data showed that the reasons for using online consultation were: muscle tone disorders, positioning asymmetry, motor development delay, assessing the child's development and learning how to properly care for the infant. The benefits of an online visit included saving time by not travelling to the physiotherapist and the opportunity to consult a specialist who would otherwise be impossible to meet due to distance. The respondents indicated the lack of physiotherapists in their place of residence. The sense of security for the child in a familiar environment was emphasised, while challenges were posed by the lack of direct contact with the physiotherapist and the organisational and equipment requirements of the visit. Conclusions: Online consultations restore the possibility of continuing therapy and early diagnosis, as well as increasing parents' sense of competence. Although online consultation cannot replace in-person consultation, it can be a good complement or an alternative in some therapeutic situations.