(WSIL) -- Local moms living in rural areas are showing us some of the challenges they've had with tele-health therapy for their children during the pandemic.

One of those moms is Rachel Rogers who lives in Eldorado. Her son Killian just turned two years old and like most toddlers his age, he's active.

Rogers says Killian is diagnosed with a duplication of the 22nd chromosome, "It's caused severe growth disorders and muscle mass is almost non-existent."

While, Danielle Richards of McLeansboro has a daughter with Microcephaly.

"Her brain is immature," Richards explains. "She has water on her brain. It's like pot holes filled with water."

Most have probably never heard of the disorder, but it causes many health conditions such as Epilepsy, a feeding tube, and hearing and sight loss.

Both moms enrolled their children into the the Early Intervention program provided by the state that's for children until they reach 3.

Parents pay a montly fee based off their income and it helps to fill the gap on medical expenses that insurance doesn't cover like little Landri's hearing aids.

The main thing is in-home therapy sessions that work around the parent's schedule, and Killian and Landri have a lot.

Those include physical, developmental, occupational and speech therapies for one hour at home each week and vision bi-weekly.

Rogers says the program has been vital to her son making progress.

"If it hadn't been for the Early Intervention therapy program, we wouldn't be where we are today," she says.

While Richards agrees, "she would still be like a newborn, and she's like at least a 4, 5 or 6 month old right now."

Both moms even praise the program for moving so quickly to tele-health when the pandemic first hit, but there's been some issues like not being able to get Killian into the same positions for muscle building as his physical therapist.

"It looks easy but then they show us what to do and then we're like how do you get him to do that I can't," Rogers explains.

Another challenge is trying to get a toddler to pay attention to a laptop or phone screen.

"I can't get him to stay in a screen, to get him to do the exercises that they want," Rogers adds.

Richards has the same issues and often feels like she's in a tug of war after work trying to spend time with her other children and get Landri the therapy she needs.

"I rush home; I have to hurry up and get the laptop going," she says. "Praying that the laptop doesn't freeze or the internet is going to work."

Richards adds that some therapies are not even available for tele-health or the therapist is not making an effort.

"Say we start back up in August, she will have missed out on 80 therapy sessions in home and that makes a huge difference," Richards explains. "These past few months are like years in her life."

The moms say now that the state has lifted some restrictions it's time for in-home therapy to start back up.

"We need a plan on how to get them back on track because she can't go a year without having actual physical contact because she will regress, she wont progress," Richards says.

Rogers feels the same way about her son Killian since Early Intervention helped her Collin, who is also diagnosed with a duplication of the 22nd chromosome.

"My 9 year old, if it wasn't for the 0-3 program, he wouldn't be where he is today," she explains. "I want to make sure that he (Killian) gets all that while he can."

The moms add they will do whatever it takes to get in-home therapy again. Whether that means wearing a face mask at all times, cleaning requirements for their home or temperature checks at the door.

News 3 also spoke to Dana Gilbert, who is the physical therapist for both Rogers and Richards.

Gilbert believes the state was quick to get tele-health up and running for the families who wanted it saying it only took about a week.

The physical therapist, who has been a part of the program for 20 years, says tele-health has been a good way to stay in touch with families and that she's making the best out of it.

However, it has been difficult to instruct parents on how to move their children properly for the therapy sessions since it takes training and being able to feel what is happening.

"I can tell you all kinds of stuff to do with that child to help them but to feel a child move or feel an adult to move through a motor plane," she explains. "That is touch that is something that you learn through the years."

Gilbert adds the most important thing is to keep everyone healthy, but hopes that there can be a plan in place for her to go back into the home if the parents feel comfortable and continue tele-health for others.

The last weekly update by state leaders on the program was on July 2nd saying that tele-health had been funded through july 27th.

The update also says a plan to resume in-person services has been submitted for review by infectious disease experts and is awaiting approval.

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Moms fear no progress if in-home therapy doesn't start back soon - WSIL TV