3 Advantages of Using Telemedicine to Diagnose Symptoms of Autism

One out of 44 children in the United States has autism. If you think your child might have autism but have yet to receive a diagnosis, it is important to see a doctor. That way, the doctor can evaluate your child and see if he or she shows any symptoms of autism. 

However, you might not need to drive all the way to the doctor’s office to accomplish this. Instead, you can try telemedicine. Telemedicine is more advanced than ever before and it has become a very popular option in recent years. 

But what exactly is telemedicine, what are the advantages of using it, and how can it help diagnose the symptoms of autism in your child? Keep reading more below and find out. 

1. Telemedicine Makes Diagnosis Easy

Telemedicine is a simple concept. It involves connecting with your doctor through your computer or potentially through your phone. You will use your computer’s camera so that you and the doctor can see each other as well as if you were both in the same room. 

It also involves the use of your computer’s microphone so that you and your doctor can talk back and forth. You get all the benefits of seeing the doctor in person but you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home. This is important when caring for a child who may have autism. 

You might think that your child has autism symptoms, but you won’t be able to know for sure until the doctor examines the child and sees whether or not the child really does have early signs of autism. Keep in mind that there are no blood tests or other medical tests to see whether or not a child has autism. 

The Details

For that reason, diagnosis mainly depends on the autism signs that the child displays. When getting an appointment through telemedicine, the doctor should be able to see and talk to your child to examine the child’s behavior. The main signs of autism include avoiding eye contact, not responding when their name is called, being relatively quiet, and repetitive movements such as arm or hand flapping. 

These signs often start early in a child’s life. If you don’t know much about autism, you might not know if your child’s behavior is any different from that of a child without autism. For that reason, getting a diagnosis through telemedicine is the most convenient option to get a definitive answer. 

2. Telemedicine Saves You Time

If you have a busy schedule, the last thing you want is to waste time trying to get to the doctor’s office. This is especially true if the doctor’s office is far away from your home. Getting a diagnosis the old-fashioned way by going to the doctor’s office in person can take hours out of your life. 

Not only will you need to prepare to go to the doctor’s office but you will also need to get your child ready as well. Depending on the age of your child, you may need to get a child seat ready in your car, dress your child depending on the weather, and so on. Then, you’ll need to get into the car and sit in traffic for a certain period of time, perhaps several hours, before you make it to the doctor’s office. 

Then, depending on the time you arrive, you may need to wait several more minutes or perhaps even another hour waiting in the waiting room. Only then can you finally bring your child to see the doctor and potentially get a diagnosis. This is not to mention that something could happen along the way that could make you late for the appointment. 

The Details

If that happens, you might arrive at the doctor’s office only to be told that you need to reschedule for another time. All this, of course, is very stressful to deal with when all you want is a diagnosis for your child. Fortunately, telemedicine can make the entire process much easier. 

All you need to do is turn on your computer, set up the microphone and camera, and you can connect with your doctor from the comfort of your home. That way, you can get a diagnosis for your child without anything else getting in the way. 

3. Telemedicine Saves You Money

Many people don’t realize that telemedicine can save them a significant amount of money. This is because many don’t realize how much money they spend when driving all the way to the doctor’s office. The main cost has to do with the money you spend on gas when you drive your car, especially if you need to drive a long distance. 

You might end up spending $100 or so on gas, depending on the trip. This, of course, is in addition to the amount you’re paying for the doctor’s appointment. But when you get a telehealth appointment for your child, you won’t need to worry about the cost of getting to the doctor’s office since you won’t need to leave your house. 

Also, the price of a telemedicine appointment may even be cheaper than an in-person appointment in some cases. 

Telemedicine and the Symptoms of Autism

The symptoms of autism can be hard to understand if you don’t know much about the condition. For that reason, it is important to see a doctor and see if your child does have this condition. Getting to the doctor’s office can be a pain, however, and that’s why telemedicine is so helpful. 

All you need to do is have a working computer and your doctor can consider an autism diagnosis for your child. To learn more, contact us here.