Morton Grove, Illinois
Morton Grove is a small, close-knit community. Everyone knows the teachers at Park View School. But when your child struggles with tasks other kids handle easily, there is no local pediatric occupational therapy clinic to turn to. Families end up searching neighboring towns, unsure where to start. Private pediatric OT for Morton Grove families is just 10 minutes away in Des Plaines.
Your therapist
Laura O'Brien, OTR/L, has spent more than thirty years working with families in small communities like Morton Grove, where options are limited and parents want answers, not waitlists. Her office in Des Plaines is a short drive down Dempster, and she also works with families over Zoom when that fits better.
Laura doesn't just treat your child. She teaches you what to do between sessions so you see changes at home, at the park, and in the daily routines that matter most. You leave every visit understanding why your child responds the way they do and what you can do about it tonight.
Last reviewed: April 2026
What parents tell Laura
These are not personality quirks. They can be signs of sensory processing differences, motor delays, or reflex patterns that respond well to the right kind of support.
Understanding your options
Morton Grove School District 70 partners with NTDSE (Northern Suburban Special Education District #807) to provide OT as a related service. If your child has an IEP, they may receive pull-out or push-in OT at Park View focused on handwriting, classroom participation, and fine motor tasks during the school day.
Morning routines. Mealtimes. Haircuts. Playing catch. Riding a bike. Tolerating new clothes. School OT is built around academic access. When your child meets classroom benchmarks, services stop. But the struggles at home, at Harrer Park, and at family gatherings often continue without separate support.
That's where private OT fills in. Laura works on the life skills that matter at home and in your Morton Grove community. Many families use both school and private OT because they address different parts of a child's day.
In-person and Zoom
Laura guides you through activities using items you already have. Your child does heavy work with couch cushions while she coaches you on how to read their sensory signals. Telehealth works well for families who want weekly consistency without adding another drive to the schedule.
Just 10 minutes from Morton Grove. Your child uses swings, climbing structures, and crash pads that provide the deep input a home setup cannot match. We work on reflex integration, bilateral coordination, and sensory regulation using professional equipment. You watch, ask questions, and leave with strategies for the week.
Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.
Parent strategies
Before a difficult transition (leaving the house, starting homework): Have your child carry something heavy for 30 seconds. A full gallon of milk from the fridge to the table. A backpack loaded with a few books from one room to another. Heavy carrying activates the proprioceptive system and can reduce resistance to the next task. Try it for five days in a row before transitions that usually cause conflict. If you notice smoother shifts, your child likely needs more heavy work built into their day.
During nail clipping: Let your child squeeze a stress ball tightly with the hand you are not clipping. The deep pressure to the opposite hand gives the nervous system something to focus on besides the sensation of the clippers. Start with one nail per sitting if needed. If your child tolerates two or three nails within a week, that is measurable progress.
Common questions
Most Morton Grove families drive to neighboring towns. Laura's sensory gym in Des Plaines is about 10 minutes away, straight down Dempster. Many families also do weekly Zoom sessions and come in person once or twice a month for equipment-based work.
It depends on where the struggles are. School OT through SD 70 and NTDSE focuses on classroom goals. If your child is doing well at school but struggling at home with self-care, sensory sensitivities, or coordination, private OT addresses the skills the school program was not built to cover. Many families use both.
Trust your gut. If daily tasks feel harder than they should, if your child avoids certain activities or has strong reactions to textures and sounds, an evaluation can help clarify what is going on. Common signs include difficulty with self-care compared to peers, poor coordination, and extreme sensory responses.
Getting started
Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Morton Grove families tell her they searched for months before finding a pediatric OT nearby. The office is 10 minutes away, and Zoom is always an option. Call with questions about how private OT works alongside your child's school program.