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Barrington, Illinois

CUSD 220 Has Programs for Everything. But Your Child Still Struggles at Home.

Barrington 220 is one of the largest unit districts on the northwest side of Chicago, with ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and specialized programs like STRIVE and SAS built into the system. Your child may be getting support at school through an IEP or 504 plan. But if mornings are still a fight over socks and breakfast, and evenings fall apart before homework starts, that means the school plan is handling school. The rest of your child's day needs a different kind of help.

Your therapist

Meet Laura

Laura O'Brien, OTR/L has spent more than thirty years helping families on the north and northwest sides of Chicago figure out why life at home is so much harder than school reports suggest. She works with Barrington families who have already tried the school route and still have questions. Laura teaches parents specific techniques they can use the same evening, not just general reassurance.

That's why families stay: every session ends with a clear explanation of why your child responds the way they do and what you can do about it before the next appointment.

  • ✓ Laura O'Brien, OTR/L
  • ✓ 30+ years of pediatric experience
  • ✓ Sensory Integration Certified
  • ✓ Yoga for the Special Child Certified
  • ✓ Reflex Integration trained
  • ✓ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Last reviewed: April 2026

Talk to Laura (708) 724-8780

What parents tell Laura

Sound Familiar?

  • "His Countryside teacher says he's doing fine, but he can't button his coat"
  • "She's in the STRIVE program and making progress at school, but home is still chaos"
  • "He was screened at the Early Learning Center and they said to wait a year"
  • "The school OT worked on handwriting, but he still can't ride a bike at age eight"
  • "She gags on anything that isn't macaroni or crackers"
  • "He melts down every single night at bath time"

These aren't behavior problems. They may point to sensory processing, motor planning, or self-regulation skills that school OT does not fully address.

Start with a Free Screening Contact Laura

Understanding your options

What CUSD 220 Provides, and Where the Gaps Are

What school OT covers

CUSD 220 is large enough to run its own special education services without a cooperative. The district offers the STRIVE program for autism and functional communication at Countryside Elementary, Station Middle School, and Barrington High School, plus the SAS program for social, emotional, and behavioral needs at Rose Elementary, Prairie Middle School, and BHS. School OT focuses on classroom performance: handwriting, cutting, managing materials, and participating in group instruction.

What school OT doesn't cover

Getting dressed without crying. Sitting through a family meal. Tolerating the noise at a birthday party. Riding a bike. Managing a grocery store trip without a meltdown. School OT addresses educational impact only. When IEP goals are met, services end. The daily routines that exhaust your family at home fall outside the district's scope entirely.

Private OT picks up where school services end. Laura works on the life skills that matter at home and in your Barrington community. Many families use both school and private OT because they serve different purposes.

Zoom and in-person

What Working with Laura Looks Like

Zoom from your Barrington home

At 26 minutes from Des Plaines, most Barrington families choose Zoom as their primary format. Laura mails specific materials to your home and guides you through activities in real time. Your child practices coordination exercises on a couch cushion while Laura explains why heavy work before meals can reduce fidgeting and food refusal at the dinner table.

In-person at the Des Plaines sensory gym

Laura recommends in-person visits for initial evaluations and periodic check-ins. Your child climbs, swings, and works through obstacle courses that build motor planning and body awareness. You sit in the room, ask questions, and leave with a clear plan for the weeks ahead. The gym has equipment most homes cannot replicate.

Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.

Parent strategies

Two Things to Try Tonight

Before homework: Have your child do 10 jumping jacks or carry a heavy book bag across the room three times. This kind of whole-body movement activates the proprioceptive system and can improve sitting tolerance, pencil control, and focus for the next 20 to 30 minutes. Try it for three afternoons in a row and see if the homework routine changes.

Bath time resistance: Let your child control the water temperature by turning the faucet themselves. Offer a washcloth they can squeeze hard before it touches their skin. The deep pressure from squeezing provides calming input that may reduce the sensory defensiveness that makes water on skin feel threatening. Small adjustments like these can turn a nightly fight into a manageable routine.

Get Strategies for Your Child (708) 724-8780

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

My child gets OT through CUSD 220. Do they also need private OT?

School OT in Barrington 220 targets classroom skills. If your child struggles with daily routines at home, has difficulty at social events, or needs more sensory support than school provides, private OT can address those gaps. Many Barrington families use both because they cover different parts of the day.

Can we do Zoom sessions from Barrington?

Yes. Barrington is about 26 minutes from the Des Plaines sensory gym, so telehealth is the primary format for most families here. Laura mails specific materials and coaches you through activities using household items. In-person sessions are available for evaluations and when gym equipment would be especially helpful.

My child is in the STRIVE or SAS program. Can private OT still help?

Yes. The STRIVE program focuses on functional communication and the SAS program focuses on social-emotional and behavioral skills within the school setting. Private OT can support the sensory processing and motor planning needs that affect your child's daily life outside of school. Laura works alongside school programs, not in place of them.

Getting started

Ready to See Changes at Home, Not Just at School?

Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Barrington families come to Laura after a CUSD 220 IEP meeting or an Early Learning Center screening, wondering what comes next beyond school services. Call with questions about how private OT works alongside your child's school program.

Contact Laura Free Screening Form

(708) 724-8780