Current Trends in Telehealth Applications to Deliver Social Communication Interventions for Young Children with or at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Simacek and team scanned 22 studies that used video calls or apps to teach parents how to boost social skills in toddlers and preschoolers with autism. They looked at papers published up to 2020 and simply described what was done, not how well it worked.

Every study showed parents could learn the steps through a screen. The coaches never entered the homes. Yet the quality of proof differed: some studies had only a few kids, others lacked checklists or follow-up data.

Gerow et al. (2021) and Popple et al. (2016) are inside Simacek’s map. Gerow used Zoom to coach parents on daily-living skills and saw clear gains for four elementary kids. Popple emailed tooth-brushing videos and cut dental plaque. Both give sharper, positive results than the mixed picture Simacek reports.

Solomon et al. (2007) did the same kind of parent coaching, but in person. Their PLAY model also helped nearly half the toddlers. Simacek shows the field has simply moved that model onto laptops and phones.

Lde Leeuw et al. (2024) and Camilleri et al. (2024) push the idea further. Instead of coaching parents, they let kids or teens run digital Social Story apps themselves. Their 2024 data say younger verbal children, especially girls and gender-diverse youth, thrive with this child-led tech. Simacek’s review stops at 2020, so these newer child-directed tools extend the telehealth trail she charted.

You no longer need to choose between in-home visits and no service. Start with telehealth parent coaching for social communication, then layer in child-friendly apps as skills grow. Check the evidence level of each tool, track small social wins weekly, and keep a back-up plan for families who still want a person in the room.