Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Buffalo Grove sits across Kildeer Countryside SD 96, Aptakisic-Tripp CCSD 102, and Lincolnshire-Prairie View SD 103. Your neighbor's child may get pull-out OT twice a week while yours gets 20 minutes of push-in support, and neither family chose those terms. Each district sets its own thresholds and service models. That means a child who qualifies for OT in one building may not qualify in the next one over. Private OT fills the gaps that district lines create.
Your therapist
Laura O'Brien, OTR/L has spent more than thirty years helping families sort through exactly this kind of confusion. She works with children across all three Buffalo Grove districts and understands how each one structures its special education services. More importantly, she focuses on the skills that matter outside of school: getting dressed, handling loud environments, joining activities with siblings, and keeping up with daily routines.
Parents keep coming back because Laura teaches them what to do between sessions. You leave every visit understanding why your child responds the way they do and what you can do about it starting tonight.
Last reviewed: April 2026
What parents tell Laura
These are not behavior problems. They are signs your child may be working through sensory processing, motor planning, or other foundational skills that affect life beyond the classroom.
Understanding your options
Each of the three districts serving Buffalo Grove runs its own OT program through IEPs. The Exceptional Learners Collaborative provides additional support for students ages 3 through 22, including audiology, OT, PT, social work, speech, vision services, and psychological evaluation. These services target educational access and classroom performance.
Brushing teeth. Getting dressed without a fight. Tolerating haircuts. Playing at the park without covering ears. Managing the noise at a restaurant. School-based OT addresses educational impact only. When IEP goals are met, services stop. But your child is still struggling through morning routines and weekend activities.
That is where private OT fills in. Laura works on the life skills that matter at home and in your Buffalo Grove community. Many families use both school and private OT because they address different parts of a child's day.
In-person and Zoom
Your child jumps on couch cushions while Laura explains why that crashing movement actually helps the brain organize. She walks you through a brushing-teeth routine using a vibrating toothbrush and specific pressure techniques. You learn what to change tonight and why it works.
About 15 minutes south on Route 83. Your child climbs, swings, and works through obstacle courses designed to build motor planning and sensory regulation. Laura explains each activity to you so you can carry the strategies home. You leave with a plan, not just a progress note.
Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.
Parent strategies
Before the morning routine: Have your child push against a wall with both hands for 10 slow counts. This heavy work activates the proprioceptive system and can make dressing and grooming tasks feel less overwhelming for sensory-sensitive kids.
During homework: Place a resistance band around the front two legs of the chair so your child can push against it with their feet. The steady input to the legs and core often improves sitting tolerance and focus without any extra equipment on the desk.
Common questions
Each district sets its own eligibility criteria and service delivery models. A child who qualifies for 60 minutes of weekly OT in one district might receive 20 minutes of consult-only support in another. Private OT is consistent regardless of which district your child attends, and it targets the skills school programs do not address.
The Exceptional Learners Collaborative is a joint agreement serving multiple districts in the Buffalo Grove area. It provides school-based therapies tied to educational goals. Private OT with Laura covers daily living skills, sensory regulation at home, and community participation. They serve different purposes and many families use both.
Yes. Laura mails specific materials and walks you through activities using household items. Zoom works well for parent coaching, strategy sessions, and follow-up visits. Some families alternate between Zoom and in-person trips to the Des Plaines sensory gym, about 15 minutes away.
Getting started
Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Buffalo Grove families come to Laura after noticing that school OT alone is not making a difference at home. Call with questions about how private OT can work alongside your child's district services, no matter which district your family is in: SD 96, SD 102, or SD 103.