Home / Locations / Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire, Illinois

The District Has Nine Levels of Support. Home Still Has Zero.

SD 103 runs one of the more detailed special education programs in the northwest suburbs. Through the Exceptional Learners Collaborative, your child may receive services ranging from itinerant support to a therapeutic day placement. That structure is built for the classroom. But when your child comes home and cannot get through a meal, a bath, or a bedtime routine without a breakdown, the school continuum does not cover it. Private pediatric OT can help Lincolnshire families close that gap.

Your therapist

Meet Laura

Laura O'Brien, OTR/L, has more than thirty years of experience working with families across the northern suburbs. She has worked alongside school-based teams and understands how district OT goals are set and measured. She also knows where those goals stop. Her job is to pick up where the school leaves off, teaching you what to do at home so your child makes progress in daily life, not just on paper.

Lincolnshire families often come to Laura after years inside the district system wondering why school progress has not changed the morning routine. The answer is usually that school OT was never designed to fix the morning routine. Laura's practice is.

  • ✓ 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 say

Sound Familiar?

  • "He gets Resource support at school but still cannot get through homework without a meltdown"
  • "She met her IEP goals, so the district ended OT. Nothing changed at home."
  • "The ELC team is great during the school day, but weekends are a disaster"
  • "He chews his shirt collar until it's soaked through"
  • "She's nine and still can't ride a bike. Her friends in the neighborhood all can."
  • "We've been through three levels of the district continuum and he still won't tolerate a haircut"

These are not behavior problems. They can be signs of sensory processing, motor planning, or self-regulation challenges that respond well to the right kind of support.

Start with a Free Screening Contact Laura

Understanding your options

What SD 103 Provides, and Where the Gaps Are

What school OT covers

SD 103 serves about 1,800 students across Lincolnshire, Prairie View, and portions of Buffalo Grove, Vernon Hills, Mettawa, and Riverwoods. Special education services are coordinated through the Exceptional Learners Collaborative (ELC), which offers a nine-component continuum: early childhood itinerant, blended, and self-contained programs, Resource, Itinerant Supports, Direct Instruction, Intensive Instructional, Guided, Therapeutic Day School, Home/Hospital, and Related Services. School OT falls under Related Services and targets classroom performance.

What school OT doesn't cover

Getting dressed without a battle. Sitting through a restaurant meal. Tolerating a haircut or a dentist visit. Joining a team sport. Managing sensory overload at a family gathering. The district continuum is one of the most detailed in the area, but it is designed for educational access. The daily-life challenges that exhaust your family at home are outside the school's responsibility.

That is the gap private OT fills. Laura focuses on the skills that matter at home and in the Lincolnshire community. Many families work with both school and private OT at the same time because the goals are completely different.

In-person and Zoom

What Working with Laura Looks Like

Zoom from your Lincolnshire home

Laura walks you through activities in real time using items from your own home. Your child works on hand strength with Play-Doh and clothespins while you learn why heavy work before homework can improve focus. Telehealth is practical for Lincolnshire families juggling after-school activities and multiple kids. Laura mails specific materials before your first session.

In-person at the Des Plaines sensory gym

About 20 minutes from Lincolnshire. Your child swings, climbs, and moves through obstacle courses that build body awareness and coordination. You are in the room the entire time, watching what works and learning how to bring it home. The gym has suspended swings, crash pads, and climbing structures that most homes and schools do not have.

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 animal walks down the hallway: bear walks (hands and feet, hips high), crab walks (belly up, hands and feet), or frog jumps. Two minutes of this kind of heavy movement sends organizing input through the muscles and joints. If your child sits longer or focuses better afterward, that is a sign their body needed movement input to settle.

Haircut resistance: Try rubbing your child's scalp firmly with a dry towel for 30 seconds before the haircut. Firm pressure is calming; light, unpredictable touch is alerting. If your child tolerates the towel rub but not the stylist's fingers, that pattern is worth noting for an OT evaluation. It often points to a sensory processing difference that can be addressed.

Get Strategies for Your Child (708) 724-8780

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

My child gets OT through SD 103. Do they also need private OT?

SD 103 OT, coordinated through the Exceptional Learners Collaborative, focuses on skills that affect classroom performance. If your child struggles with dressing, mealtime, haircuts, or sensory overload outside of school, private OT can address those areas. Many Lincolnshire families use both because the goals are different.

Can we do Zoom sessions from Lincolnshire?

Yes. Telehealth works well for many Lincolnshire families. Laura mails specific materials to your home and guides you through activities in real time. Some families do Zoom weekly and visit the Des Plaines sensory gym once a month for equipment-based work. The drive is about 20 minutes.

How do I know if my child needs OT?

Trust what you see at home. If daily tasks feel harder than they should, if your child avoids certain activities or textures, or if sensory issues disrupt family routines, an evaluation can help clarify what is going on. You do not need a referral from the school to start.

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 Lincolnshire families come to her after years in the district continuum, wondering why school progress has not changed the home routine. Call with questions about how private OT works alongside your child's school program.

Contact Laura Free Screening Form

(708) 724-8780