Libertyville, Illinois
Your child's SD 70 team just checked off another round of IEP benchmarks. The school report shows progress in handwriting and classroom transitions. But you are still wrestling through morning routines that take an hour, shirt tags that trigger a full shutdown, and weekend outings that end before they start. School OT solved the school part. The rest of the day is still waiting.
Your therapist
Laura O'Brien, OTR/L has more than thirty years of pediatric experience helping families close the gap between school progress and real life. She works with Libertyville families over Zoom, teaching parents what to do between sessions so changes stick at home, at the store, and during the routines that matter most to your family.
Parents keep coming back because Laura explains the why behind their child's behavior and gives them something specific to try that same evening.
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
Libertyville SD 70 serves students across four elementary schools and one middle school from PK through 8th grade. School OT targets educational access: handwriting, cutting, classroom transitions, and sensory regulation during lessons. For students with more intensive needs, SEDOL (Special Education District of Lake County) serves 31 districts and more than 2,200 students with services like specialized classrooms, therapy, and transition programming.
Getting dressed independently. Tolerating the feel of sunscreen. Sitting through a meal at a restaurant. Playing with other children at a birthday party. School OT ends when classroom goals are met. But the daily routines and community experiences that matter to your family are still difficult.
That is where private OT fills in. Laura works on the life skills that matter at home and in your Libertyville community. Many families use both school and private OT because they cover different parts of a child's day.
Telehealth-first for Libertyville
Laura mails you a kit of specific materials before your first session. From there, she guides you and your child through activities using items from your own home. You learn why certain textures bother your child, how to build a sensory diet into your morning routine, and what to change before bedtime. Telehealth is the primary model for Libertyville families because it puts the coaching where you need it most: in your actual environment.
About 28 minutes from Libertyville. The sensory gym gives your child access to climbing structures, therapeutic swings, and crash pads that are hard to replicate at home. Some families visit monthly for hands-on work and use Zoom for the weeks in between. Laura walks you through what she is doing so you understand the purpose behind each activity.
Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.
Parent strategies
Before a meal: Let your child carry something heavy to the table, like a full water pitcher or a stack of plates. This deep-pressure input to the arms and hands can help organize the sensory system and may reduce fidgeting or food avoidance during dinner.
During bath time: Offer a washcloth and let your child scrub their own arms and legs with firm, even pressure before you step in. Self-directed touch is often more tolerable than unexpected contact, and the firm pressure provides calming proprioceptive input.
Common questions
School OT through SD 70 focuses on classroom skills: handwriting, sitting in a chair, managing transitions between classes. Private OT covers everything school does not. Daily routines at home, sensory challenges in the community, self-care skills, and family strategies. Many Libertyville families use both.
Yes. The Des Plaines sensory gym is about 28 minutes south. Most Libertyville families use Zoom as their primary session format because the coaching happens right in your home environment. Some add monthly in-person visits for sensory gym work when Laura recommends it.
SEDOL is the Special Education District of Lake County, serving 31 districts and more than 2,200 students with more intensive needs. If your child receives SEDOL services, private OT with Laura can still support the home and community skills that fall outside SEDOL's educational focus.
Getting started
Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Libertyville families start after noticing that school progress through SD 70 or SEDOL has not carried over to home routines. Call with questions about how Zoom-based private OT can work alongside your child's school program.