Efficacy of a Remote Play-Based Intervention for Children With Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Dimitropoulos et al. (2024) tested an 8-week pretend-play program delivered through a computer to kids with Prader-Willi syndrome. The kids played make-believe games with a therapist on Zoom while mom or dad sat nearby. A second group of kids stayed on a wait-list and played as usual.

All children were 6 to 9 years old and lived at home. The team then scored how organized and creative each child’s play was from recorded Zoom calls.

Kids who got the remote play sessions showed clearer, more step-by-step pretend play than the wait-list kids. The gains showed up right after the eight weeks ended. Parents did not report extra stress from running the sessions at home.

Zohrabi et al. (2025) and Chovet Santa Cruz et al. (2024) also used Zoom to teach kids new skills. Their studies, like this one, found large, quick gains, proving telehealth works for school-age children with developmental disabilities.

Reus et al. (2013) took a different road. They gave infants with PWS growth hormone plus motor training and saw faster motor growth. Anastasia’s team shows you can help older PWS kids without medication—just structured play on a screen.

Boydston et al. (2023) trained parents through telehealth, while Anastasia worked directly with the child. Both got strong results, so you can choose parent-coaching or child-coaching routes depending on family needs.

You now have a ready-made 8-week pretend-play package that needs only a laptop and household toys. Use it to build flexible play in elementary-age clients with PWS before food-related rigidity sets in. The remote format cuts travel time for rural families and keeps your caseload moving when clinic slots are full.