Mount Prospect, Illinois
Your child was getting OT through Child and Family Connections. Then they turned three, and services stopped. Mount Prospect SD 57 may offer some support through a preschool IEP, but it is a small district with three schools, and school-based OT only covers what affects the classroom. The daily struggles at home, the bedtime battles, the sensory meltdowns at the grocery store, those are still there. Private pediatric occupational therapy in Mount Prospect can pick up where Early Intervention left off, with no gap in support.
Your therapist
Laura O'Brien, OTR/L, has worked with families in the northwest suburbs for more than thirty years. Many Mount Prospect parents first call her during the transition out of Early Intervention, when they realize school services won't cover everything their child needs. She helps families make sense of that shift and build a plan that works at home, not just in the classroom.
Laura's approach centers on teaching you. She doesn't disappear into a back room with your child. You are in the session, learning why your child responds the way they do and what you can do about it starting tonight.
Last reviewed: April 2026
What parents say
These aren't things your child will just grow out of. They can be signs of sensory processing, motor planning, or self-regulation challenges that benefit from direct support.
Understanding your options
Mount Prospect SD 57 provides related services including OT, speech, and social work through IEPs. Services are adjusted to be developmentally appropriate and focus on classroom participation: handwriting, cutting, managing school routines, and basic self-help during the school day. The district runs preschool screenings throughout the year for children ages three to five.
Tolerating bath time. Getting dressed without a fight. Eating more than five foods. Sleeping through the night. Managing a crowded playground. SD 57 is a small district with limited OT time. Once classroom goals are met, services end. The home routines that exhaust your family every evening are outside the school's scope.
Private OT fills that gap. Laura works on the daily life skills that matter most to your family outside the classroom. Many Mount Prospect families use school and private OT together because they address completely different needs.
In-person and Zoom
Laura guides you through sensory and motor activities using items from your home. Your child does hand-strengthening exercises with clothespins while you learn why heavy work before meals can reduce meltdowns. Zoom is a good fit for Mount Prospect families managing nap schedules or multiple children.
About 12 minutes from Mount Prospect. Your child uses swings, climbing structures, and crash pads that organize the nervous system in ways a living room can't. You are in the room the whole time. You watch what works, ask questions, and leave with a clear plan for the week ahead.
Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.
Parent strategies
Before bath time: Let your child play with a dry washcloth on their arms and legs for two minutes first. Rub firmly (not lightly, light touch is more irritating). This deep pressure input can prepare the skin for the sensation of water and reduce resistance. If your child starts requesting the washcloth routine on their own, that is a sign the input is working.
For picky eating: Put a new food on the table but do not ask your child to eat it. Let them touch it, smell it, or just look at it. Do this for five meals in a row with the same food. You are building familiarity without pressure. If your child voluntarily picks it up or licks it by day five, that is progress. If they gag just from the smell, that points to oral sensory sensitivity worth exploring with an OT.
Common questions
When Child and Family Connections services end at age three, many Mount Prospect families experience a gap. SD 57 may offer preschool services through an IEP, but those focus on school skills only. Private OT can continue the work Early Intervention started, keeping the momentum going for daily life skills like dressing, eating, and managing sensory needs at home.
Yes. Many Mount Prospect families choose telehealth. Laura mails specific materials to your home and coaches you through activities using everyday items. Some families do Zoom weekly and visit the Des Plaines sensory gym monthly for equipment-based sessions. The drive is about 12 minutes.
Trust what you see at home. If self-care tasks feel harder than they should for your child's age, if sensory issues disrupt meals or bedtime, or if your child avoids activities that peers handle easily, an evaluation can help clarify what's going on. You don't need a school referral to start.
Getting started
Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Mount Prospect families come to her right after their child turns three and Early Intervention services end. Call with questions about how private OT can bridge that gap.